Sachin Pilot's camp releases video of around 15 MLAs, may skip today’s CLP meet

With the political crisis in Rajasthan continuing, the 'camp' supporting Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Monday night released a video of around 15 of his loyalist MLAs. Pilot had started a virtual revolt against the Congress government in Rajasthan over the weekend, taking loyalist MLAs to Delhi, in protest against alleged humiliation by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Pilot had on Sunday claimed he had the support of 30 MLAs and the Gehlot government was in a minority.

Earlier on Monday, Gehlot paraded over 100 MLAs at his official residence in Jaipur and flashed a victory sign, giving an indication the Congress dispensation was safe. The Gehlot camp claims to have support of 106 MLAs, a safe majority in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly. However, Gehlot and the remaining MLAs boarded buses to move to a resort in Jaipur, raising suspicion that the Congress suspected possible poaching attempts. Pilot's camp has rubbished the claim that 106 MLAs supported Gehlot.

In the video circulated by Pilot's camp, around 15 MLAs can be seen sitting in an open space. Pilot himself was not seen in the video. ANI reported the MLAs loyal to Pilot are at a luxury hotel at Manesar near Delhi. Some of Pilot’s loyalists seen in the video are Inder Raj Gurjar, P.R. Meena, G.R. Khatana, and Harish Meena.

All eyes are on a Congress Legislature Party meeting on Tuesday, which will be held at the hotel in Jaipur where Gehlot and the other MLAs are staying. According to reports, the meeting will be held at 10am on Tuesday. Pilot has been invited for the meeting; he had declined to turn up for one held on Monday. According to reports, Pilot and his loyalists do not intend to attend the CLP meeting on Tuesday.

Various Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and P. Chidambaram have, reportedly, reached out to Sachin Pilot to return and reconcile differences.