At CLP meet, CM assures of win, attacks ‘betrayers’
nJAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the group of Congress MLAS -- led by former state Congress president Sachin Pilot -- who “connived” with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not be able to show their face in public, and expressed confidence that his government was stable and strong despite the rebellion.
Gehlot made the statements at a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on the outskirts of Jaipur at the Fairmont hotel, where 100-odd legislators who are part of his camp have been housed for the last week.
“The state government is fighting against Covid-19, and on the other hand former PCC chief and some MLAS, in connivance with BJP, is conspire to topple the government, which is intolerable and condemnable. Those who have betrayed the party will not be able to show their face in public,” Gehlot said at the third such meeting in eight days.
Gehlot’s comments came a day after a scathing attack on Pilot, whom he slammed as “good for nothing”, prompting the Pilot camp to take strong objection against his “intemperate” comments and demanded an apology. The BJP denies it has any role to the play in the crisis, and Pilot and his supporters have maintainted that they have no plans to join the BJP.
According to a Congress leader present at Tuesday’s meeting, Gehlot said: “Truth is God, God is truth, and truth is with us. We will win in every situation… truth will win. Those who are playing hide and seek aren’t following the truth as truth cannot be hidden.”
Gehlot claimed he has the support of more than 115 MLAS, including some from the Pilot camp. “Nobody wants elections to happen -- be it Congress or the BJP,” he said, urging supporters to “stand firm like a rock”.
The numbers, however, are still appear tenuous for Gehlot -who has the support of 101 members — the majority mark in the 200-member state assembly (though this does not include speaker CP Joshi). Pilot has 18 other Congress MLAS, and three independents in his camp.the BJP and its ally Rashtriya Loktrantrik Party have 75 members. One Congress MLA, Bhanwarlal Meghwal, is indisposed, though he is said to be close to Pilot.
The Speaker has issued disqualification notices to Pilot and 18 MLAS supporting him. They have challenged the move in court, and the high court will announce its verdict on Friday.
In Tuesday’s meeting, the MLAS expressed faith in Gehlot’s leadership by raising hands, and passed a resolution to support him. AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Avinash Pande, senior leader Ajay Maken, and state party chief Govind Singh Dotasara were also present at the meeting.
The MLAS stay at the sprawling Fairmont Hotel for more than a week has sparked criticism, especially after videos and reports emerged of legislators singing, doing yoga and cooking food with hotel chefs.
BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek blamed the CM for leaving the public at God’s mercy while camping in the hotel for the last eight days. “The infighting and two power centres in Congress were visible since the government formed; now it has come in the open,” he said.
Political analyst Narayan Bareth said the CLP meeting was called to boost the morale of the party MLAS. “The CLP was called more for political posturing,” he said. Meanwhile, the state Cabinet on Tuesday decided to give a ~1,000 grant each to 3.5 million needy families affected by the lockdown. This is second tranche of assistance, after monetary help of ~2,500 to 3.5 million needy families.