Gehlot, Pilot meet; BJP, Congress talk floor test
JAIPUR/NEW DELHI: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot shook hands and flashed victory signs at a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in a show of unity on Thursday, the first such interaction between the two leaders since Pilot rebelled over a month ago and triggered a political crisis that threatened the state government.
Three days after the Congress high command brokered a peace deal that ended the turmoil, Gehlot said at the meeting that his government will move a confidence motion in a crucial assembly session beginning on Friday and emerge victorious, a move aimed at sending a message of stability after the month-long tussle, according to party leaders.
On the day the warring factions reunited, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the truce was temporary and announced that it will move a no-confidence motion against the government, which appears to be comfortably placed in terms of numbers, especially after the return of 19 dissident legislators, including Pilot, to the Congress fold. The BJP, which also asked its MLAS to prepare for polls, did not ask for a floor test at the height of the crisis that began unfolding in mid-july.
Speaker CP Joshi can use his discretion to decide whether to allow the government or the BJP motion — both seeking a floor test, according to analysts. An official at the assembly secretariat, who did not want to be named, said the government’s trust motion was likely to get preference. “This has been the tradition of the house,” said the official.
Political analyst Narayan Bareth said the motion by the ruling side gets preference in such a situation. “When a confidence motion and a no-confidence motion are moved simultaneously, the assembly tradition is that the ruling side gets preference. However, the final call is of the speaker,” he said.
With the return of the rebels, the Congress alone has 107 legislators, including the speaker, in the 200-member House. It also appears to have the support of all 13 independents; three of them backed Pilot and have now pledged support to Gehlot.