News Analysis India

Tag: Rajasthan

  • Rajya Sabha polls: Congress in Rajasthan approaches anti-corruption bureau alleging horse-trading 

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: The Rajya Sabha election in Rajasthan is getting murkier by the day. On Sunday, the ruling Congress complained to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)  and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan police that horse-trading efforts are being made to lure MLAs to switch sides. 

    Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi lodged a formal complaint alleging that efforts were underway to tempt MLAs of the Congress camp after some MLAs provided inputs that telephonic efforts are being made to lure them to vote for BJP-backed candidate Subhash Chandra. The Congress is also relieved as it has pacified six MLAs who were angry but reached the Udaipur resort along with CM Ashok Gehlot.

    Mahesh Joshi, the Congress Chief Whip in the assembly, has demanded a thorough probe by the ACB to ensure that corrupt deals are not struck to tempt MLAs. Enticing and taking/giving money in a corrupt manner comes under the category of crime and Joshi has asked ACB to start a legal investigation to eliminate the possibility of horse-trading.

    While talking to the media after registering the complaint, Joshi said that apprehensions are being expressed from social media and other sources that in the Rajya Sabha elections, a big game of money power is being played. Joshi claimed that the BJP is playing the dirty game of horse-trading in Rajasthan through media baron Subhash Chandra.

    Although Chandra is projected as an independent candidate, all his proposers are BJP MLAs and Joshi alleged that horse-trading is being tried to fetch votes for Chandra. Joshi said, “the BJP is spoiling the atmosphere through horse-trading for the Rajya Sabha elections. They are playing the game of horse-trading which threatens to weaken democracy. As I am the government chief whip in the state assembly, it is my moral responsibility to bring such conspiracies of the BJP in front of the public.”

    For the Congress, there was more relief as it was able to pacify the six MLAs who were angry.  After two days of meetings, the six MLAs met CM Gehlot late on Saturday night and the Chief Minister was finally able to convince the angry MLAs who were being called ‘the G6 Group’.  After this, CM Gehlot took these MLAs to Udaipur by a special plane on Sunday. These MLAs include Minister of State for Sainik Welfare Rajendra Gudha, Ramkhiladi Berwa, Girraj Singh Malinga, Wajid Ali, Sandeep Yadav and Lakhan Singh Meena.

    Of these, four had joined the Congress from BSP in 2019 and Gehlot targeted the BJP and asserted, “ for our comrades who came from BSP to Congress and saved the government in the political crisis two years ago, the Rajya Sabha election is a very small matter. They had minor displeasure which has gone away.  What can BJP expect from them?  Questions will arise on why BJP fielded another candidate even though there was no vote.”  The G6 MLAs had opened a front against the government for the past several days over their pending issues.

    Meanwhile, the Aravali Resort in Udaipur where all MLAs of Congress camp have been herded has virtually turned into a fortress with security all around. Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, a police cordon has been built around the resort. Over 150 policemen in uniform and plain clothes have been deployed on duty at different check posts in a circle of 300 feet around the resort.  The police have been directed that any outsider, whose ID is not verified, should not be able to move beyond the bridge of the resort under any circumstances. Also, there is a clear instruction that no MLA can go out of the resort without approval.

    Significantly, there is an atmosphere of happiness in the Udaipur resort after CM Gehlot persuaded the G-6 angry MLAs.  Now, the fears for Congress’s third candidate Pramod Tiwari not getting elected to Rajya Sabha have greatly receded.

  • Rajasthan: Disgruntled MLAs make Rajya Sabha polls a headache for Gehlot

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: In Rajasthan, the Rajya Sabha elections are turning into a huge headache for CM Ashok Gehlot and the ruling Congress. Despite herding party MLAs and others supporting the Congress government to a luxury resort in Udaipur, the number of MLAs remains far less than what the Congress needs to ensure victory for all its three candidates. 

    In particular, five out of six ex-BSP MLAs who had joined the Congress in 2019 have laid down a set of demands that they want CM Gehlot to fulfill before voting for Rajya Sabha polls on June 10. The ex-BSP MLAs have even refused to go to Udaipur and are staying together in Sariska as a part of pressure building tactics. Meanwhile, the CM  had to change his program to go to Udaipur today and his team of loyalists are trying to persuade unhappy MLAs not to switch sides.

    Despite the strenuous efforts of the Gehlot camp, the displeasure of some Congress MLAs has also come to the fore ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections. Many MLAs are angry due to the non-fulfillment of promises and pending works. The Congress may claim the support of 126 MLAs but given the anger of MLAs worries in the Congress are increasing. Even after several efforts to persuade them, more than 10 MLAs are just not agreeing. Angry MLAs have kept their demand charter and given the rebellious attitudes of half a dozen MLAs, CM Gehlot is doing his best at damage control and postponed his program to go to Udaipur on Saturday.

    With Assembly elections in the state only one and a half years away, angry MLAs are making their strategy under the leadership of Soldier Welfare Minister Rajendra Singh Gudha. The ex-BSP MLAs have become the ‘G-6’ Group which includes Sandeep Yadav, Lakhan Singh Meena, Wajib Ali, Girraj Singh Malinga and Khiladi Lal Bairwa. Five leaders of this group had gone on a safari in Sariska a day earlier and had refused to go to Udaipur till their long-pending demands are met.

    After Minister Rajendra Gudha and MLA Wajib Ali, now MLA Girraj Singh Malinga and Khiladi Lal Bairwa have openly shown deep displeasure with the government and Congress.  “I have got the reward of saving the government by having to face trial in a case. Why should we go to Udaipur? My reward for saving the government is to be wrongly sued despite my loyalty. Only God will do justice to me now as he judges everyone,” said Malinga.

    MLA Girraj Singh Malinga’s shocking statement has come to the fore after a case was registered and he was jailed for assaulting a government employee.  Girraj Singh Malinga claims that he was made by a leader of Mayawati, not the Congress party.  Malinga said, “Congress has no contribution in making me a leader. BSP and sister Mayawatiji have made me a leader.  We are not people who forget our favours.”

    Similarly, the Chairman of the SC Commission and MLA from Bari, Khiladi Lal Bairwa said, “for a full year after the political crisis on the Gehlot government, no one asked what is your condition?  The problem is that justice has not been done to us, the promises have not been fulfilled, and we are pained by it.”

    Bairwa added, “it would have been nice if even one of the three candidates was from Rajasthan. Some people are unable to speak, but the tension is in everyone’s minds. We are not slaves, we are soldiers of the party.  We should also be respected.  Our freedom cannot be taken for granted like this.”

    Khiladi Lal Bairwa’s comments are particularly surprising as this MLA from Bari is considered to be a supporter of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

    Meanwhile, Ved Prakash Solanki, an MLA from the Sachin Pilot camp, has also not reached Udaipur. Pilot himself has left for Delhi from Udaipur on Saturday.

    At the same time, 6 MLAs including State President Govind Singh Dotasara left for Udaipur this morning. Leaders close to the CM are constantly in touch with the angry MLAs and are trying to do damage control. So far they are nowhere close to the success the party needs.

    According to a senior BJP leader, apart from the BJP MLAs, a dozen other MLAs have been contacted, including independents and MLAs of other parties. Ashok Gehlot’s departure on Saturday was postponed and the Chief Minister may now go on Sunday to Udaipur where he will stay for a few days and handle the crisis management of the Rajya Sabha elections from there. The biggest task at the moment is to convince the disgruntled Congress MLAs. 

    The Congress has fielded three candidates for four Rajya Sabha seats and all three are choices of the party high command and not from Rajasthan. The first two Congress candidates Mukul Wasnik and Randeep Surjewala are sure of winning but Pramod Tiwari’s victory is in doubt as BJP has backed media baron Subhash Chandra as an independent.  This has made the Rajya Sabha polls a tough test for Congress which has to save its 14 votes though Chandra needs to garner only 8 votes beyond those of the BJP for a win. The eyes of both parties are focused on independents and disgruntled MLAs who are being closely monitored by both sides.

  • Rajya Sabha elections: 4 BSP turncoats spell trouble for Rajasthan Congress

    By IANS

    UDAIPUR: As the Rajya Sabha (RS) polls near, the resort politics has started again, and pictures of Congress MLAs living a lavish life in Udaipur-based five-star hotel are going viral.

    This is the same hotel which hosted Congress’ Chintan Shivir, however, Congress concerns seem to be escalating as six Congress MLAs are yet to join the political fencing and have missed their Friday deadline.

    It needs to be mentioned here that the BJP has supported Subhas Chandra as its second candidate for the RS seat which has heightened the worries of the Congress and thus it has taken its MLAs for political fencing to Udaipur.

    The trouble makers in Gehlot’s nest are ex-BSP MLAs who were seen enjoying a safari in Sariska while the Congress MLAs were going camping and their pictures were going viral. In fact, they are openly speaking about their annoyance with the Congress government.

    On Friday Rajendra Gudha, Rajasthan Minister of State for Sainik Kalyan attacked Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, saying that the latter talks a lot but it will be better for him if he sits down and get “anxious” instead.

    He alleged that Congress did not fulfil the promise made to them. Expressing his displeasure, he said, “It is a fact that the respect that should have been given to us was not given. I don’t know what was their compulsion. Gehlot sahib speaks a lot in the media. Ajay Maken promised us but he did not fulfil it.”

    In his statement to media, he said, “Gehlot saheb bolte bahut hain, bolte toh hain he, ke ye kiya, media mein bolte hain. Kabhi baith ke chinta karte toh zyada theek hota (Gehlot sahib talks a lot, he does talk a lot, that he has done this, he says so in the media. But it would have been better had he sat down and get anxious).”

    Another BSP turned Congress MLA Wajib Ali raised questions about the stance of the bureaucracy and the lack of action against complaints sent to the Chief Minister. He has also taunted Gehlot.

    Ali was neither made a minister nor given a political appointment despite coming from BSP to Congress. This is considered the main reason for his “displeasure”.

    Apart from Gudha and Ali, two other BSP-turned-Congress leaders including Lakhan Singh (Karauli MLA) and Sandeep Kumar (Tijara, Alwar) are yet to reach Udaipur. Also missing are Girraj Singh (Bari, Dholpur) and Khiladi Lal Bairwa (Baseri, Dholpur).

    Sources said that Chief Minister Gehlot has taken the charge to bring all MLAs to Udaipur.

    Ali further has left the Chief Minister red-faced by denying his claim. Gehlot a day earlier had told the media that the Central government has issued notice to Congress MLA Ali and is threatening the MLAs during the Rajya Sabha elections. However, Ali refuted Gehlot’s claim. He said that till now he has not received any notice from the Central agencies. Even he gets so (the notice), he is ready for investigation.

    Meanwhile, former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has left for Delhi on Friday evening. He reached the airport directly from Taj Aravali Resort in Udaipur.

    Earlier, Pilot with other MLAs including Ramila Khadia (who too was angry with Gehlot), went to Udaipur in a plane. Former state Congress chief said that the party shall win on all three seats. He will return to Udaipur on Monday.

  • Congress needs to win Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh again before facing 2024 polls: Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the Congress needed to form a government in Madhya Pradesh and also repeat its previous success in his own state and Chhattisgarh before it can face the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

    Addressing the concluding session of a two-day party workshop here, the CM said the Rajasthan government has introduced excellent schemes but there should be proper “marketing” just as the BJP does at the grassroots-level.

    Referring to complaints by some Congress leaders against a few bureaucrats in Rajasthan, he said officials will remain with them as long as they themselves are strong.

    He said the Congress will form the government in Rajasthan again and should also return to power in Chhattisgarh.

    He said the party also needed to be back in power in Madhya Pradesh, which is now run by a BJP government.

    “Only then can we face the 2024 election,” he said at the two-day workshop organised by the state unit of the Congress to discuss the decisions taken at the party’s national-level “Chintan Shivir” in Udaipur last month.

    Speaking a day after former CM Sachin Pilot said the Congress needed to evaluate why it has failed to return to power in Rajasthan in the past, Gehlot suggested that the party now needed to look ahead at the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

    Unlike the BJP the Congress was not “marketing” its achievements at the state-level, he said.

    “Our people are sitting silent. If we do not speak, how will the people get to know.”

    Gehlot said Rahul Gandhi’s remark at the “Chintan Shivir” that the party’s connection with people has broken is an eye-opener.

    “Rahul Gandhi has also said the BJP has sprinkled kerosene across the country. The situation is very alarming. The BJP has put democracy in danger,” he charged.

    He said that Congress faced a crisis during the time of former prime minister Indira Gandhi but the challenge now was different.

    “Today we need to work a hundred times harder,” he said.

    He said the party organisation should be given importance and the feedback on people’s demands and complaints should come to the Congress governments through it.

    On Rajasthan Congress leaders raising questions over the state bureaucracy, the CM said if officers don’t work, it takes just a minute to replace them.

    “They are permanent (employees). The officers are with you only when they feel that you are strong,” he said, adding that they will turn their back on them when they sense that the government is on its way out.

    Recently, Sports Minister Ashok Chandna had expressed anguish over the conduct of CM’s principal secretary Kuldeep Ranka.

    Party MLA Ganesh Ghoghra and some other leaders have also expressed displeasure with the bureaucracy.

  • Bar six Rajasthan MLAs who defected to Congress from voting in Rajya Sabha polls, demands BSP

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: The Bahujan Samaj Party on Wednesday wrote to Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Assembly Speaker C P Joshi demanding that the six party MLAs who had defected to the Congress be barred from voting in the Rajya Sabha polls.

    The elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan will be held on June 10.

    State BSP president Bhagwan Singh Baba in the letter said a case under the Anti-Defection Law is going on against the MLAs in the Supreme Court.

    “In such a situation, these six MLAs should be stopped from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections because the BSP has decided that it will not support any party or independent in the Rajya Sabha elections,” Baba said.

    Reacting to this, state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said the six MLAs had merged with the Congress and now they are party legislators.

    The six MLA–Rajendra Gudha, Lakhan Meena, Deepchand Kheria, Sandeep Yadav, Joginder Awana and Wajib Ali–had joined the Congress in September 2019.

    The Congress at present has 108 MLAs.

    The Congress has fielded three candidates for the elections and the BJP one.

    The Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that the BJP will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections.

    The Congress move has come a day after media baron Subhash Chandra, who is backed by the BJP, filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.

    The filing of papers by him as an independent candidate had prompted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to allege that the BJP wants to indulge in horse trading.

  • Rajya Sabha polls: Independent MLAs meet Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Congress candidates

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Ten of 13 independent MLAs in Rajasthan met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections here on Tuesday night.

    Discussions about the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on June 10 took place in the meeting, party sources said.

    State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra and party candidates Mukul Wasnik, Pramod Tiwari and Randeep Singh Surjewal were present on the occasion.

    The elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha in Rajasthan will take place on June 10.

    The Congress has fielded three candidates and the BJP one.

    Backed by the BJP, media baron Subhash Chandra filed his nomination for the elections to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, a move that could scuttle the Congress chances of winning a third seat from Rajasthan.

    Essel Group chairman Chandra is currently a Rajya Sabha member from Haryana and his term is going to expire on August 1.

    The filing of papers by him as an independent prompted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to allege that the BJP wants to indulge in horse trading.

    The ruling Congress in Rajasthan with its 108 MLAs in the state Assembly is set to win two of the four seats going to the elections.

    After winning two seats, the Congress will have 26 surplus votes, 15 short of the required 41 to win the third seat.

    On the other hand, the BJP has 71 MLAs in the state Assembly and set to win one seat, after which it will be left with 30 surplus votes.

    The Congress is expecting support of independent MLAs and legislators of other parties to win the third seat.

  • Shortly before ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Gehlot asks PM to appeal for peace in monthly address

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday targeted the BJP over incidents of communal violence and asked Narendra Modi to appeal for peace in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’, shortly before the prime minister’s monthly broadcast.

    “Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaders of all opposition parties, intellectuals, journalists, writers and all citizens who want to live a peaceful life are asking you to make an appeal for peace amid an atmosphere of tension across the country in the “Mann Ki Baat” programme today,” Gehlot tweeted in Hindi.

    “Today, there is an atmosphere of tension in the entire country and in the name of religion, riots are taking place every day. In such a situation, your appeal in the public will have an effect. Please convey that everything can be tolerated except communalism and violence,” he said in another tweet.

    The prime minister convened the 89th episode of his monthly radio address on Sunday, three days after he completed eight years in office.

  • Congress set to win Rajya Sabha polls in Rajasthan, claims Pilot 

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Tuesday claimed that the Congress will comfortably win three of four Rajya Sabha in the state, the elections for which will be held next month.

    “The Congress party has more than enough majority to comfortably win three out of four Rajya Sabha seats,” Pilot told reporters in Tonk.

    When asked about the candidates, he said it is for the party high command to decide who will contest the elections.

    Targeting the opposition BJP in the state, Pilot said there is chaos and confusion within the party and irrespective of whatever their leaders say, the ruling Congress will win three seats.

    Elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha will be held on June 10 as BJP’s Omprakash Mathur, K J Alphons, Ramkumar Verma and Harshardhan Singh Dungarpur are going to complete their term on July 4.

    Talking about the outcome of the recently held Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir of the Congress in Udaipur, Pilot said that the party will start a “Bharat Jodo Abhiyan” and take out yatras to connect with people.

    He said the party’s decision to encourage leaders below 50 years of age in politics was a good sign.

    “I am told by the PCC chief that a state-level workshop is being organised in Jaipur on June 1 and 2 to hold discussions for the preparations of the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan and other decisions taken in the Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir,” he said.

    “I am happy that the party has talked about giving importance and space to those who are below 50 years of age at every level in politics. This is a good sign for society, country and the party,” he said.

    When asked about the law and order situation in the state, he said the government has acted on every incident.

    On a rape case registered against state minister Mahesh Joshi’s son in Delhi, Pilot said the CM as well as the minister has said that law will take its course.

  • Resort politics could return to Rajasthan as Congress, BJP gun for Rajya Sabha seats

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: With nominations for four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan having begun on Tuesday, both the Congress and BJP are preparing to lock up their MLAs in local resorts since the fourth seat could see a close tussle on voting day (June 10).

    In the polls, the ruling Congress, given their numbers in the state assembly, is all set to clinch two seats while the BJP is certain to win one. But then there is the fourth seat that has triggered talks of resort politics returning to a state seen by many as the hub of resort politics.

    The BJP is hoping to win this seat despite the Congress fielding candidates in three seats. Their reason for hope: the ongoing tussle between the camps of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot. 

    Although Congress still holds the advantage with more MLAs in their fold, the BJP’s announcement of not giving a walkover to their rivals could see both parties barricading their MLAs to prevent any poaching.

    Currently, Congress needs 82 votes to win two seats. However, as the Congress has 108 MLAs, it will still have 26 votes left for the third seat. This will leave the party with a shortfall of 15 votes.

    The Congress hopes to make up for it by banking on the support of the 13 Independent MLAs and one MLA from the Rashtriya Lok Dal, all of whom have been supporting the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government. Support can also come from the Communist Party of India (M) which has two votes and the Tribal Party of India which has two votes.

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    On Tuesday, CM Ashok Gehlot met a dozen independent MLAs to ensure their support for his party.

    In contrast, the BJP has 71 MLAs and this will ensure the party a victory in one seat. Although the BJP will be short by 11 votes for the second seat, given the high number of Independent MLAs and some cross-voting, the party is planning to give winning it a shot.

    Two years ago, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot had stirred trouble for the government by revolting against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Pilot, along with his 18 MLAs, had camped in Gurgaon and Delhi hotels for a month.

    Though the BJP was supporting his rival from behind the scenes, CM Gehlot herded his MLAs into resorts and Pilot had to return to the Congress fold. Ever since, the allegiance of the Pilot camp has always been questioned.

    Ahead of the vote, the two parties, on the pretext of explaining the process of the Rajya Sabha elections, are set to keep their MLAs virtually as captives in resorts close to Jaipur.

    Rajendra Rathore, the Deputy Leader of Opposition, had sounded the poll bugle by announcing even before the nominations began that the BJP will not allow the second seat to go uncontested. He said, “BJP has thirty surplus votes. How those thirty votes will be used, will be revealed only when the time comes. Due to the conflict within the Congress, BJP can win the second seat.”

    As both parties decide the names of their candidates, the battle for the Rajya Sabha seats then is likely to create quite a political stir in the state and this may intensify by the time the Rajya Sabha voting concludes on June 10.

  • Rajasthan trader’s killing: Wife accuses local MLA of being involved in attack

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Wife of a trader killed by unidentified assailants in Nagaur has accused Rajasthan government’s Deputy Chief Whip Mahendra Choudhary and his associates of being involved in the attack.

    Choudhary, however, termed the allegation baseless and politically motivated.

    Jaipal Poonia, a salt trader, was shot dead by around six men in broad daylight in Nawan town in Nagaur district on Saturday.

    A case against Choudhary and seven others was lodged at Nawan Police Station under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) following a complaint by the family of Poonia, police said.

    In the FIR lodged by the victim’s wife, she alleged that on the directions of Choudhary, who is also the MLA from Nawan, his brother Moti Singh, Moolchand Saini, Virendra Saini and others killed her husband.

    “My husband left home at 10.30 am for court on Saturday but returned at 11 am, saying that the hearing would be held at 12.30 pm. While having lunch, he told me that the MLA and others are trying to implicate him in a false case. He said he was getting threats and may be killed,” Poonia’s wife alleged in the complaint.

    According to police, Poonia has several criminal cases registered against him.

    Reacting to the allegation, Choudhary said, “All the charges are baseless and politically motivated.”

    Meanwhile, Nagaur MP and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party leader Hanuman Beniwal has demanded a CBI probe in the case, saying the incident shows that there is no fear of police among criminals.

    The MP alleged that in places like Nawan and Kuchaman, police officers along with the local MLA and his family are running a parallel government, as a result of which there is a steady increase in heinous crimes.

    He said due to the “failure” of the government and “weak” administrative system in Rajasthan, the common man is feeling unsafe.