JAIPUR: In the latest twist in the Rajya Sabha saga in Rajasthan, the ruling Congress has now complained to the Election Commission of horse trading efforts allegedly being made to ensure win for media baron and BJP-backed Independent candidate Subhash Chandra.
Meanwhile, Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal's Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), a former ally of the BJP, announced that its three MLAs will support Subhash Chandra -- a decision that has led the AAP to allege that a Rs 40 crore deal was struck to swing these three votes.
In the tussle to win the fourth Rajya Sabha seat in the state, allegations and counter-allegations about horse-trading have intensified. Government Chief Whip and Water Resources Minister Dr Mahesh Joshi on Tuesday complained to the Chief Electoral Officer on the possibility of horse-trading of MLAs.
Joshi said the BJP is promoting horse-trading on the pretext of supporting Subhash Chandra. He remarked: “The BJP is playing a dirty game in Rajasthan from behind the scenes. Money and other inducements are being given to MLAs in Rajya Sabha elections. Due to this, there is a possibility of democracy getting weakened.” Joshi asserted that “The Gehlot government has failed horse-trading conspiracies in the past and will fail them now.”
Politics has also intensified after RLP announced that its three MLAs will vote for Subhash Chandra. This has drawn a sharp reaction from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its state in-charge Vinay Mishra. He termed Hanuman Beniwal as "the seat seller.” Mishra made these charges against Beniwal on Twitter though the AAP has no MLA in Rajasthan and has nothing to lose or gain in these elections. After the Punjab victory, the party is trying to expand its presence in Rajasthan.
Mishra has accused Beniwal of supporting Chandra by taking Rs 40 crore. He tweeted, “If you give me blood, I will give you freedom - Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. You vote for me, I will sell your vote for 40 crores - Netaji Beniwal (Rajya Sabha seat seller)”
This row also led to Congress MLA Divya Maderna hitting out at Beniwal's party. Terming it an "anti-farmer decision", Maderna taunted Beniwal's party by tweeting – “RLP is BJP's B team. This is an anti-farmer decision. One of the three Congress candidates, Randeep Surjewala, is from the farmers' class. If they were farmer friendly, they would have decided to vote in their favour.”
Maderna said Beniwal had broken his alliance with the BJP on the pretext of farmer agitation. The BJP has backed the candidature of Subhash Chandra whose channel had termed the agitating farmers "terrorists and Khalistanis", she further said, adding that extending support to Chandra by his party is "sheer hypocrisy".
Sensing displeasure of some Congress and Independent MLAs, the BJP had extended its support to Chandra which has made the contest for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat a close one.