The Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan police will investigate the allegations of poaching of Congress MLAs in the State following alleged online transfer of huge amounts of money. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is already seized of the matter after a complaint was filed seeking action against those trying to topple the State government.
Also read | Rajasthan BJP chief denies horse-trading charges
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said at a press conference here on Friday that the truth about the “organised crime” of money transfer for horse-trading would be revealed in the SOG’s probe. While accusing the BJP of plotting to destabilise the Congress government, he stated that what happened in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh in the past was known to all.
However, Mr. Gehlot refused of disclose the names of those involved in alleged attempts to pull down his government. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah with destroying democracy at a time when the country was fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The press conference was organised at a private hotel after the ruling Congress MLAs as well as Independent legislators supporting the government were shifted to a luxury resort on the outskirts of Jaipur ahead of the June 19 Rajya Sabha elections. Those present included Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and senior party leaders Randeep Surjewala, Avinash Pande and K.C. Venugopal, who is also one of the candidates for the polls.
Mr. Gehlot said that though the Rajya Sabha polls could have been conducted two months ago as per the schedule, they were postponed because the BJP’s horse-trading was not complete.
“At this time, we have to decide who is distributing dard [pain] and who is distributing davaa [medicine],” he stated. When the world was battling the virus crisis, the BJP was busy bringing down the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, he alleged.
Modi’s claim
Mr. Gehlot ridiculed Mr. Modi's claim of making a “Congress-free India”, while affirming that that the party that led the Independence movement lived in the country’s DNA. “How will the nation be able to fight the pandemic if all castes, creeds and political parties don't stand united... Strange that this thought does not cross the minds of Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah,” he said.
Mr. Gehlot claimed that the 13 Independents and the two Bharatiya Tribal Party MLAs had promised to support the Congress in the Rajya Sabha elections, while the Congress had requested CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury to get the support of its two legislators. “All of us stand united to defeat the fascist forces,” he said.
Mr. Pilot, who is also the Pradesh Congress Committee president, said the party had enough numbers to win two of the three Rajya Sabha seats in the State and no one was going to leave the party.
