Doubling down on its allegation that the BJP is indulging in horse-trading in Rajasthan to destabilise the government, Chief Minister Ashok Gwhlot on Friday alleged that democracy is being destroyed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah at a time the country is fighting coronavirus.
Addressing a press conference along with his Deputy Sachin Pilot, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala and other party workers, Gehlot claimed that the Rajya Sabha elections could have been conducted two months back, but it was “postponed for no reason because BJP’s horse-trading was not complete”.
“At this time, we have to decide who is distributing dard (pain) and who is distributing davaa (medicine),” he was further quoted as saying by NDTV.
The Rajasthan chief minister further asserted that the Congress is united and not a single vote of its MLAs will go to anyone else during the Rajya Sabha polls. “Our two candidates will emerge victorious. Two CPI-M MLAs will support us in the election,” he added.
Deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said the party has enough numbers to win two of the seats and no one is leaving the party.
“We have the numbers to win both the Rajya Sabha seats. We have the support of independents. There should be no speculation that we don’t have numbers to win. Don’t mislead people. All MLAs are with us,” he said at the press conference.
On Congress MLAs being shifted to resorts, Pilot said, “We have got together at these hotels as we have not met for three months.”
At least 90 MLAs, both Congress and independents were moved to the Shiv-Vilas Resort by the Congress in the state fearing poaching by BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls slated to be held on June 19 for 24 seats out of which three seats each are in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and four in Gujarat amongst others.
For the three seats, Congress has nominated two candidates — KC Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi, while BJP, making the game further interesting, has also fielded two candidates — Rajendra Gehlot and Omkar Singh Lakhawat.
In the Rajasthan Assembly of 200, the Congress has 107 MLAs, including six those who defected to the party from the BSP last year. The party enjoys the support of 12 of the 13 Independent MLAs in the state.
Earlier on Wednesday, claiming a heavy transfer of cash to Jaipur, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said there were reports about the BJP’s plan similar to that of Madhya Pradesh and some of the party MLAs were offered Rs 25 crore in cash with Rs 10 crore in advance.
“One of our MLAs was offered Rs 25 crore, 10 crore in advance and 15 crore later as horse trading, but he informed us on time. We have been tipped that a huge cash amount has been transferred from Delhi to Jaipur recently which has been informed to us by investigative agencies,” the Rajasthan CM said.
He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the Rajya Sabha elections were postponed under pressure because the BJP could not poach MLAs in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Meanwhile, alleging a bid to poach the party MLAs and the independent legislators backing the government, government chief whip Mahesh Joshi has forwarded a written complaint to the DG, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
He has demanded strict action against BJP workers for trying to lure away the Independent MLAs with money power.
Earlier, the elections were scheduled scheduled for March 26 but was allegedly postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown.