Rajasthan: Sachin Pilot and 18 Congress rebels have challenged notices that warned them of disqualification if they did not satisfactorily explain by today why they defied the party.
Jaipur, July 17:
A petition by Sachin Pilot and other rebel MLAs challenging disqualification notices by the Congress will be heard by the Rajasthan High Court again on Monday. The rebels took the Congress to court yesterday arguing that “free speech” cannot be labelled as “anti-party activity”. Ahead of the hearing, union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was accused by the Congress of conspiring with rebel MLAs against its government in Rajasthan. A police complaint was filed shortly after the Congress released what it claimed were transcripts of alleged audio conversations of deal-making between rebel MLAs and the BJP to try and dislodge the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan.
Here’s your 10-point cheatsheet on the Rajasthan crisis:
Two former Rajasthan ministers-turned rebels, Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishwendra Singh, have been suspended by the Congress, which has demanded an investigation based on audio tapes that emerged online. NDTV cannot vouch for the authenticity of the tapes. A special police team from Rajasthan is heading to a resort near Delhi where the two leaders are currently staying with other rebels in Sachin Pilot’s camp.
The Congress read out transcripts at a media briefing – no audio was played – and alleged that the voices belong to Mr Shekhawat and rebel MLAs. Two FIRs have been filed based on the Congress allegations.
The Union Minister called the tapes fake and said he was ready to face any investigation. “The audio doesn’t have my voice. If I am called for questioning I will definitely go,” Mr Shekhawat said.
Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi, who served disqualification notices on the rebels and asked for a response by today, will decide on the next step shortly, said the Congress.
Team Pilot is being represented in the case by two of India’s top lawyers — Mukul Rohatgi, a former Attorney General, and Harish Salve, who has represented India in big international cases. They are pitted against Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi in court.
The rebels have argued that they can’t be served such notices when the Rajasthan assembly is not in session. They have also challenged a constitutional rule that allows the speaker to disqualify any member who has “voluntarily given up his membership” which, they say, is being misused only because they skipped two meetings.If the rebel MLAs are disqualified, the majority mark will drop, making it easier for Mr Pilot’s chief adversary, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, to win a floor test.
If the rebels can avoid being disqualified and are allowed to vote as Congress members, Ashok Gehlot’s government could fall. He needs 101 MLAs to vote for him in the 200-member assembly and claims he has the support of 106.
Last Friday, Sachin Pilot, the number two in the Rajasthan government, was served summons to answer questions in the investigation, which led to his revolt. Sachin Pilot has since been removed as Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress chief by team Gehlot. But in Delhi, the Congress leadership continues its efforts to bring him around.
Mr Gehlot told News18 India, “I have not been speaking to Pilot for the last year-and-a-half” though he added, “I am not against Sachin Pilot and Rahul Gandhi knows this. Even if he decides to come back, I will hug him with love.”
This is a significant statement from the Chief Minister, who was asked to dial down his acrimonious attacks on his former deputy. “We have proof that horse-trading was being committed. Rs 20 crore was offered… Our deputy chief minister himself was doing the deal and was giving statements that no horse-trading was taking place. What clarifications are you giving when you yourself were involved in it,” Mr Gehlot had alleged.
