Rajasthan political crisis: Have majority, says Congress; never asked for floor test, says BJP

The Rajasthan political crisis is at its peak with both Congress and BJP members engaging in a war of words. Following Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's visit to the Raj Bhawan, the Congress party has said that it has a majority in the state. Gehlot met Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday evening claiming to have the support of 102 MLAs. However, a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said that it was a courtesy visit during which the Chief Minister briefed the Governor about the efforts taken for the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting lasted for about 45 minutes.

Congress MLA Rajendra Guda said on Sunday that the party has support of more than 100 MLAs. He also said that he, too, was approached by Sanjay Jain, who is now in SOG custody, and had asked him to meet Vasundhara Raje. "Sanjay Jain  had come to me eight months back. He had asked me to meet Vasundhara ji and others. There are other agents like him but they didn't succeed in their attempts. Sanjay Jain had been active for a long time," he said.

Guda further added, "We are more than 100 in number (MLAs). We have the majority. If we didn't have a majority, they (BJP) would have demanded a floor test. They know that we have it, so they are not demanding a floor test."

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan and former Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said that the BJP never demanded a floor test. "BJP never demanded a floor test, not even now. We are watching their fight. When the time is right and we have to do something, we will discuss and move in that direction. As of now, we are being unnecessarily dragged into this matter," Kataria said.

Amid reports that the Rajasthan Assembly would be held on July 22, Rajasthan BJP Chief Satish Poonia said that it is the Governor's call. "It is the Governor's special power to call an Assembly session to prove majority and a notice has to be sent in this regard 21 days in advance. The Governor can call a session if he deems it right," said Poonia.

The next session of Rajasthan Assembly will be dependent on when the High Court delivers a decision over disqualification notices sent to Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs.

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