Can call Assembly session after 21-day notice: Governor tells CM

The political tug-of-war in Rajasthan continued on Monday with governor Kalraj Mishra saying that an Assembly session can be called at a short notice only if the state government says that there needs to be a trust vote, otherwise MLAs should be given threeweeks, or 21-day notice in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Not one to mince words, chief minister Ashok Gehlot termed the governor’s response as a “six-page love letter” and said that he has written to President

Ram Nath Kovind and spoken with Prime Minister Narendra

Modi about

M r Mishra’s “conduct”.

Last week the governor had rejected the Rajasthan government’s first proposal to call an Assembly session and on Monday he returned its second proposal suggesting a three-week notice because of the coronavirus outbreak, following which Mr Gehlot said this is the first time in 70 years that such a thing has happened.

He said he has asked the President to intervene and ensure that an Assembly session be called immediately, adding that it was the “constitutional right” of the chief minister. “Spoke to PM yesterday over governor’s conduct… The governor has once again sent us a six-page love letter. Governors are bound to approve when an elected government calls for an Assembly session,” he said.

The governor, in his response to the chief minister, asked, “Do you want to bring a confidence motion? As it is not mentioned in the proposal but in public you (Mr Gehlot) are making statements that you want to bring a confidence motion.” M r Gehlot’s second proposal — submitted on Saturday — mentioned July 31 as the date of the Assembly. The agenda was discussions on the coronavirus outbreak and the economy. On Monday morning, the Rajasthan Speaker ■

Spoke to PM yesterday over governor’s conduct... The governor has once again sent us a six-page love letter. Governors are bound to approve when an elected government calls for an Assembly session...

— Ashok Gehlot, Raj CM

Do you want to bring a confidence motion? As it is not mentioned in the proposal but in public you (Mr Gehlot) are making statements that you want to bring a Confidence Motion

— Governor Kalraj Mishra, in his letter to CM