Rajya Sabha polls: BJP trying to topple Rajasthan govt, says CM Ashok Gehlot; complaint filed in state's SOG

Jaipur: Accusing the BJP again of trying to topple his government, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said a complaint has been filed with state’s Special Operation Group for investigation into the matter. Gehlot, however, refused to disclose names of those behind the toppling bids allegedly involving transfer of money for horse trading. “A complaint has been lodged with the SOG so that investigation about those who are involved in this organised crime of money transfer could be conducted,” Gehot said at a press conference.

The conference was held at a hotel on Delhi highway and near a resort, where the Congress and other MLAs supporting the state government are staying. He said what happened in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh is known to all, and now it is being tried here in Rajasthan. “If the BJP leaders are making calls to the Congress and independent MLAs, what should we call this?” he asked. Asked about Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot’s statement that he received no complaint regarding horse trading, Gehlot asserted that he is the chief minister and if something comes to his notice, it must have come from a source. “How can we disclose this?” he asked. The complaint to the SOG was filed by the Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi who on Wednesday had filed a similar complaint to Anti-Corruption Bureau, alleging that that some political and other persons are trying to influence the voting for Rajya Sabha elections and de-stabilise the state government by luring Congress MLAs and other lawmakers supporting the state government. The chief minister said that amid the coronavirus crisis, the BJP’s central leadership was doing sabotage. “They toppled the government in Madhya Pradesh and are now hatching conspiracy in Rajasthan. They have been exposed among the public,” he said. Gehlot said that two persons — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah — were taking all decisions which is not good for democracy. He said that democracy is being murdered in the country as it was seen in Madhya Pradesh. Gehlot said that the Rajya Sabha elections were deliberately postponed because the BJP could not manage to complete its horse trading . He said that Modi had stated about ‘Congress-free India’ but the Congress is in the DNA of the country. “The Congress is in the DNA of the country, it has a long history of great sacrifices but do not be surprised if the Modi government and their party ever gets destroyed because the public has seen their acts,” he said. The chief minister also said amid the coronavirus pandemic, the predominant issue is saving lives, but how could this be done when all religions and political parties are not united. “Why does this thought not come to the mind of Modi and Shah?” he asked. He said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had stated that the party is with the government in its fight against the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, Pilot said the election is for three seats and four candidates are in fray. Congress has a comfortable mandate to win two seats, besides having independent MLAs, supporting the state government for the last one and half years. Both of our candidates will win and there is no doubt on this, he said, adding those who are trying to create confusion are just indulging in time pass . Randeep Surjewala, AICC spokesperson and observer for the Rajya Sabha elections in Rajasthan, said the BJP is trying to steal the people’s mandate. He asked why did the BJP field a second candidate when it does not even have the number of legislators to elect its second candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections. It shows the BJP’s intention to steal public mandate, he said asserting that their conspiracy would be defeated. He said the party MLAs are united and will not be tempted. When asked if the party MLAs would be kept together at one place till the elections, he said, “If thieves come to your house to commit theft, you have to safeguard your house. If thieves are coming to steal democracy, it is our responsibility and duty to protect democracy.” [caption id=“attachment_8472531” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] File image of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Twitter@ashokgehlot51 [/caption] The MLAs have been staying at Shiv Vilas resort, Kuksas at Delhi highway since Thursday. Chief Minister Gehlot too stayed at the resort on Thursday night. AICC general secretary Avinash Pande and one of the party candidates for Rajya Sabha polls, KC Venugopal, too were also present in the press conference at hotel JW Marriott in Kukas. Elections for three Rajya Sabha seats will be held on 19 July for which the Congress has nominated Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi while the BJP has fielded Rajendra Gehlot and Onkar Singh Lakhawat. In the Assembly of 200, the Congress has 107 MLAs and has the support of independent MLAs and legislators of other parties like Rashtriya Lok Dal, CPI (M) and Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP). Ruling Congress has enough majority to win two seats and the opposition BJP, which has 72 MLAs and support of three Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MLAS, has the numbers to comfortably win one seat.