Our govt stable, will last full term: Cong

NEW DELHI: The Congress rushed two senior leaders to Jaipur late on Sunday to smooth differences between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot that plunged the state government into crisis even as the party insisted that its administration in the state was safe.

Two central observers – Randeep Singh Surjewala and Ajay Maken – attended a late-night meeting of Congress legislators held at the residence of Gehlot even as a message released by Pilot’s team claimed he had the backing of over 30 MLAs.

“All Congress MLAs are in touch with me and the government in Rajasthan is stable and will last its full term,” said Avinash Pande, in-charge of Rajasthan affairs in the Congress.

Late in the evening, three Congress lawmakers, who had left for Delhi earlier in the day, said they would follow the party line.

Addressing a press conference at Gehlot’s residence, Rohit Bohra, Danish Abrar and Chetan Dudi called themselves “soldiers” of the party and said they will do whatever the top leadership tells them.

“We are with the Congress party which gave us tickets…we are soldiers of the party and will remain so for lifetime,” Bohra said.

A meeting of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) will be held at Gehlot’s residence at 10:30 am on Monday, the party added.

Pande blamed the BJP for the political crisis in the state. “Congress is strongly working together. BJP is deliberately diverting the present situation. This conspiracy has been hatched by BJP,” he said.

But the BJP rejected these claims.

“We are not even thinking about forming a government in the state. This government will fall of its own ‘karma’ (deeds),” said Rajasthan unit chief Satish Poonia.

TWO CENTRAL OBSERVERS – RANDEEP SINGH SURJEWALA AND AJAY MAKEN – ATTENDED A LATE-NIGHT MEETING OF CONGRESS LEGISLATORS HELD AT THE RESIDENCE OF CHIEF MINISTER GEHLOT