The war of words between Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and deputy CM n president of Rajasthan Congress Sachin Pilot has finally taken the shape of ardent political foes with Sachin Pilot having been divested of his deputy CM portfolio along with two other ministries of his loyal lawmakers, Vishwendra Singh n Ramesh Meena, including his post of state President as well.
The chief minister Gehlot wasted no time to meet the governor Kalraj Mishra n handed him the letter informing about his decision to divest the deputy chief minister Pilot of the his post and regarding the elicited support of majority lawmakers ,102 in numbers, at the CLP meeting held in Hotel Fairmount in Jaipur this morning, thus giving a new lease of life to the Congress government.
HOWEVER, it’s the prerogative OF THE CHIEF MINISTER to OUST any member of his cabinet without assigning any reason.
Today’s support to the Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot by 102 lawmakers and simultaneous passing of the resolution to expel his betenoire Sachin Pilot out of the party for defying the CM’s n other central observers’ n high command’ s directives n invitation since yesterday in addition to making umpteen phone calls, has today given a great sigh of relief to the CM who’s fate was hanging to the thread till yesterday night n this morning too.
FEARING poaching of MLAs by the saffron party was the obvious reason that compelled him to carry all the hundred MLAs’ in buses to Jaipur’s Fairmont hotel under tight security despite eliciting full support at his house yesterday. It was due to the tight security of MLAs holed up in the Jaipur hotel that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not able to repeat Madhya Pradesh n earlier the Karnataka examples where the Congress party in majority was allegedly toppled to reign in the BJP rule led by B. S Yediyurappa and Shiv Raj Singh.
The developments in Rajasthan till today morning when the stand of Sachin Pilot was not clear whether he will attend the CLP meeting or not, the Congress high command was desperately waiting n wanting to see him coming for the patch up but when the saturation point crossed limits and there were no indications of the rebel deputy CM Sachin Pilot relenting, the central leadership had no alternative but to divest him of his both the posts n possible expulsion from the party in the near future.
However, the loyal lawmakers with Pilot have still been accorded a final opportunity to relent and come back not only saving their membership of assembly but also being pardoned for the mistake.
Meanwhile the nameplates of Sachin Pilot in the Pradesh Congress n as deputy CM’s offices have been taken out quite before time as his posters and huge hoardings were withdrawn from party offices and Jaipur yesterday making the already annoyed rebel more furious.
While, Sachin Pilot may now go for his own regional outfit in the state or join the BJP as being rumoured or speculated earlier especially after his meeting or telephonic conversation with his old colleague n Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia who has mastered the art of toppling governments especially after dislodging Kamalnath in MP. But it still remains to be seen keenly whether BJP repeats Madhya Pradesh in Rajasthan n if Pilot goes Scindia’s way ?
The Bharatiya Janata Party has however demanded a floor test in the Assembly tomorrow or day after to confirm whether Gehlot really has the requisite numbers to prove his majority or not. BJP however has total strength of 72 plus 3 allies n some independent MLAs’ support, but what remains to be seen is whether the 16 loyalists of Sachin Pilot will join the Congress ranks again or face the consequences of losing their respective memberships under the anti defection law.
In both the cases , Ashok Gehlot seems to have an upper hand say sources. But in politics nothing is for sure. What’s happens tomorrow is anybody’s guess. Fingers crossed?
