With his government appearing to be in deep crisis after his deputy, Sachin Pilot, launched an open revolt against him, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot conducted a virtual show of strength in Jaipur on Monday afternoon as he displayed the victory sign with the legislators gathered for the Congress Legislature Party meeting.
The CLP meeting was held at Gehlot's official residence. The meeting was called following Pilot digging in his heels in Delhi and claiming that he had the support of 30 MLAs. It turned into a show of strength with the chief minister letting in the media for a photo opportunity.
While the exact number of MLAs present at the meeting was not clear—and earlier there were estimates that over 90 legislators had arrived for the CLP meet—Health Minister Raghu Sharma claimed that Gehlot had the support of 109 MLAs. The Pilot camp, however, questioned the claims of 109 MLAs supporting the Gehlot government. Pilot had earlier asserted that 30 MLAs, both from the Congress and independents, were with him.
The meeting was held in the presence of central observers K.C. Venugopal, Ajay Maken and Randeep Surjewala and AICC General Secretary in-charge of party affairs in Rajasthan Avinash Pande.
Ahead of the meeting, Pande had claimed that 109 MLAs had given letters of support to the Gehlot government, and other Congress MLAs were to do so soon. A whip was also issued to the party MLAs to attend the CLP meeting and the party warned of strict disciplinary action against the legislators who failed to attend the meet. The Pilot camp, however, said the whip had no legal sanctity since the state Assembly was not in session.
Meanwhile, prior to the CLP meet, AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala held out hope for a reconciliation, saying that the party is in contact with Pilot.
Surjewala, who has been sent by the party high command to Jaipur to try and resolve the crisis that has erupted after Pilot's open rebellion, is said to enjoy a good equation with Pilot. Surjewala said that over the last 48-72 hours, the Congress leadership has spoken to Pilot a number of times and discussed the political situation with him and that it would be wrong to say that the deputy chief minister has rebelled against the Congress.
