Closing ranks ahead of a possible test of strength in the Rajasthan Assembly, Congress MLAs and independents supporting them, put up at a luxury hotel outside Jaipur for the last fortnight, will continue to stay together till the session starts on August 14.
Governor Kalraj Mishra has summoned the Assembly after approving the State Cabinet's fourth proposal.
The political situation and the strategies for keeping the MLAs united were discussed at a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting at the hotel on Thursday. Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi told reporters after the meeting that all legislators would “remain united” and stay together till the session.
Mr. Joshi did not clarify if the MLAs would continue to camp at the same hotel. “It will be decided [later] where to stay,” he said, while affirming that no location outside the State would be selected. The Ministers would go to the Secretariat to take care of work in their respective departments, he added.
While the MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will be celebrating the upcoming festivals of Id-ul-Zuha, Raksha Bandhan and Krishna Janmashtami away from their families, the 19 dissident MLAs in the rival Sachin Pilot camp are said to be camping at two hotels near Gurugram in Haryana.
Rajasthan political crisis | High Court sends notices to Speaker, 6 BSP MLAs who joined Congress
The impasse between the Congress government and the Governor ended late on Wednesday night, when the latter accepted the Cabinet's advice for convening the Assembly session after rejecting three earlier proposals. The Governor had insisted upon calling the session on a 21-day notice, unless some “concrete reasons” were given for an urgent sitting.
Mr. Gehlot, who chaired the CLP meeting, said in a veiled dig at the Governor and the BJP that the “rate of horse-trading” had increased after the date for commencement of the session was announced. “Earlier, the first instalment was of ₹10 crore and the second ₹15 crore. It has now become unlimited and everyone knows who is involved in these affairs,” he said.
Mr. Gehlot hinted that a confidence vote would be sought during the session, but said the agenda for the House would be decided by the Business Advisory Committee. He also said he wanted the dissident MLAs to attend the session, as they had been elected on the Congress symbol.
The Chief Minister targeted Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati for her remarks against him and accused her of acting at the behest of the BJP. He said Ms. Mayawati’s complaint about the merger of BSP Legislature Party with Congress was not justified.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court on Thursday issued notices to the Assembly Speaker and six BSP MLAs on the writ petitions moved by BJP MLA Madan Dilawar and the BSP challenging their merger with Congress. The Speaker had earlier rejected Mr. Dilawar's complaint in the matter.
The Single Bench of Justice Mahendra Goyal directed the respondents to file their replies by August 11. The support of the six legislators, who had contested the 2018 Assembly election on BSP's symbol and later joined the Congress, will be crucial for the Gehlot government in the event of a trust vote on the floor of the House.
