JAIPUR: While the political crisis continues in Rajasthan, the BJP has now gone aggressive. The party has asked assembly Speaker CP Joshi to take a firm and final decision on the resignations submitted by 92 MLAs in order to support CM Ashok Gehlot and oppose Sachin Pilot as a possible new CM of the state. Terming the resignations of MLAs as political gimmick, the BJP has said it will soon meet Governor Kalraj Mishra on the ongoing constitutional crisis in the state.
Ten days after the MLAs revolted and gave their resignations at the residence of Speaker Joshi, no decision has been taken by the speaker yet. Amid the ongoing tussle in the Congress over the CM’s post, the Opposition BJP is getting restless. Talking to the media, former minister and state party president Arun Chaturvedi said, “The MLAs had apparently resigned. Now the speaker should decide whether he will accept the resignations or not. If he does not take any decision, then questions will be raised on him whether he is working to benefit the Congress party. We will soon meet the governor.”
Chaturvedi alleges that the “people of the state have been watching the gimmicks of the Congress for over two years. For the past two months, the government has remained captive to political drama. During this time, the condition of law and order, water, electricity and roads has gone bad and youth and farmers are suffering.”
The Congress MLAs had boycotted the legislature party meeting called by the Congress high command in Jaipur last Sunday and a parallel meeting was held at the residence of UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal. After this, 82 MLAs, who were opposing the appointment of Pilot as CM had submitted their resignations.
Gehlot and the MLAs of his faction were directly seen as challenging the authority of the party high command. The ministers from the Gehlot faction, including Mahesh Joshi, Shanti Dhariwal and RTDC president Dharmendra Rathod have been issued notices and asked to provide answers in ten days. CM Gehlot had himself gone to Delhi and apologized to Sonia Gandhi for the incident. The image of the Congress has suffered a lot due to this incident and the Gandhi family is reportedly angry with the rebellion of the Gehlot faction.
Meanwhile, the political turmoil of the Congress in Rajasthan is now seen shifting to Karnataka. With Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and party President Sonia Gandhi reaching Karnataka, a decision on the Rajasthan crisis may emerge soon. Sonia is likely to meet Rahul Gandhi in the next two days. It is believed that they may also take a final decision on the issue of CM in Rajasthan.