JAIPUR/NEW DELHI: In a new twist to the crisis in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has sent a second proposal to Governor Kalraj Mishra for calling an Assembly session on July 31, even as the Congress is planning to withdraw the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed in the Supreme Court to make it a political battle than a legal one.
While Gehlot has been pushing for an Assembly session, it was felt a legal battle will be a long-drawn one and it is better to build pressure on the political front. On Monday, the SC is slated to hear Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C P Joshi’s SLP challenging the Rajasthan HC order staying disqualification proceedings against 19 Congress MLAs led by Sachin Pilot.
"The party’s top leadership is of the view that the issue should be fought politically rather than legally and that the petition be withdrawn and Gehlot should continue pushing for an Assembly session. It is likely that the SLP will be withdrawn as that would also delay Gehlot’s demand for an immediate assembly session,” said a senior Congress leader.
Curiously, in his proposal, Gehlot listed discussion on COVID-19 as part of the agenda of the Assembly session but there was no mention of a floor test. The governor had turned down the earlier proposal saying it did not mention a date or rationale for the House session. Meanwhile, the Congress on Sunday accused the Governor of acting in a partisan manner at the behest of the BJP.
“The Governor is bound to function with the aid and advice of the state government but he is listening to his master’s voice — the government at the Centre,” Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
But Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal rubbished the charges, saying the Governor has the right to take decisions according to his discretion under Article 163B.
COVID situation alarming: Guv
Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Sunday expressed concern over growing coronavirus infections in the state, and said the number of active cases has tripled since July 1