JAIPUR: Ahead of the budget session of the Rajasthan assembly from January 23, a meeting between assembly Speaker CP Joshi and Congress state in-charge Sukhwinder Singh Randhawa has set off a big buzz that the resignations submitted by over 90 pro-Gehlot MLAs on 25th September are now being withdrawn.
Sources in the party say that the reason for revoking resignations is the hearing in the Rajasthan High Court on the issue on January 2. The BJP has asked Speaker Joshi to accept the resignations which in effect will bring the Gehlot government to a minority. The plan to revoke the resignations is being described as a mockery of democracy by the opposition BJP.
Over 90 MLAs of the Gehlot faction, who resigned after boycotting the Congress Legislature Party meeting on September 25, have now been asked to withdraw their resignations. The new in-charge Sukhjinder Randhawa, in a meeting with Assembly Speaker Dr CP Joshi, discussed how the dispute over resignations of the MLAs could be settled by citing the message of the Congress High Command.
In the meeting with Joshi, he also wanted to know the status of resignations and the technical aspects of it. After a few days in Jaipur, Randhawa returned to Delhi after taking feedback from all party leaders.
In contrast, the BJP is raising questions as to why no decision has been taken even after three months on the resignations by Congress MLAs. A petition was filed in the High Court on behalf of BJP MLA Rajendra Rathore, on which Speaker Joshi has asked to clarify the situation through a notice to his secretary by the next hearing of the case on January 2.
The second reason for withdrawing the resignation is that the assembly session will start in Rajasthan on January 23. As soon as the budget session begins, the BJP will ask the speaker to clarify the position on the resignations. On the BJP's demand, Speaker Joshi will have to give a ruling in the assembly and there is a possibility of the Congress and the government getting cornered on this issue. In such a situation, the resignations of all the MLAs are likely to be revoked before the budget session.
On September 25, following the orders of the Congress high command, a meeting of the Legislature Party was called at the CM's residence where a one-line resolution was to be passed giving the right of selection of the new CM to the high command. After boycotting that CLP meet, 91 Congress MLAs had voluntarily submitted their resignations to the Speaker.
By resigning, the MLAs were trying to put pressure on the high command that if Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is removed from the post, then only one of the 102 MLAs of his faction should be made the Chief Minister and not Sachin Pilot. The pro-Gehlot MLAs had gone to Speaker Joshi and handed him their resignations. However, the speaker has, to date, neither accepted those resignations nor taken any action on them.
These resignations became the biggest obstacle in the way of making Pilot the CM. It is believed that resignation politics in Rajasthan is almost over now as it has also become clear that CM Ashok Gehlot will present the budget. In such a situation, there is no scope for any leadership change and the resignations of MLAs will be withdrawn in the next few days.
According to Vidhansabha sources, neither these resignations were received by the Vidhansabha office, nor is there any information about their withdrawal. Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said that this is a mockery of democracy.
"Once resignation is given, there is no provision to take it back. These MLAs are misleading the public. If the ministers had resigned, how their decisions are being implemented till now. The government did not have the confidence of the house. The ministers and MLAs should also return their salaries and allowances for this period. These Congress MLAs were not in a position to counter the points raised in the petition, that's why the resignations have been withdrawn."
Just before Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Rajasthan, the Congress high command had effected a reconciliation between CM Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, after which the yatra could pass off peacefully.
Experts believe that due to the resignations, CM Gehlot has been able to get his desire to present the last budget of this government.
But it is still a big question whether Gehlot will remain the CM after the budget.