Will embrace rebels, if party asks, says Rajasthan CM Gehlot

A section of rebel Congress MLAs in Rajasthan have expressed their desire to attend the assembly session from August 14, signalling chances of a truce in the rebellion sparked by Sachin Pilot that pushed Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's government to the brink.

Some of Pilot's supporters were expected to attend the assembly session where Gehlot is expected to seek a trust vote, to put an end to the political instability that had set in after Pilot walked out of the government with 18 MLAs.

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On Saturday, Gehlot said he was ready to embrace the rebel MLAs should the Congress high command forgive their misdemeanours.

“Party has given me a lot, entrusted me with several responsibilities. I have been a minister thrice, state unit president thrice, chief minister thrice and AICC General Secretary thrice. What more do I want? I am doing all this as a service,” Gehlot told reporters in Jaisalmer, where MLAs supporting him were ensconced in a fort-turned-resort.

Gehlot has a slender majority in the 200-member assembly, which has prompted him to make several overtures to the Pilot camp, asking rebel MLAs to return. Congress has also stepped up the heat on the rebels by issuing them notices for failing to attend the Legislature Party meetings convened from time to time since the instability set in on July 13.

The Congress is confident that its government would sail through in the assembly but is unsure of being on a firm footing later. Though Gehlot has been claiming support of 109 MLAs, the actual number of legislators backing him is 102, giving him a wafer-thin majority in the House.

Gehlot also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of pushing Rajasthan on the brink at a time when the entire world was battling the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Prime Minister should put an end to this political tamasha in Rajasthan,” Gehlot said alleging that the entire Home Ministry and union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Piyush Goyal were working overtime to topple his government.