Amid an ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan, a total of 95 Congress MLAs from Ashok Gehlot faction are being flown to Jaisalmer in charter planes. The MLAs will be back on August 13, a day before the commencement of the Assembly session on August 14.
The MLAs have been staying in Jaipur's Hotel Fairmont since July 13 after Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs rebelled against the government triggering the political crisis.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday indicated that he will seek a confidence vote when the assembly convenes next fortnight and claimed that the money offered to the MLAs to switch sides had increased sharply ahead of the session. The chief minister said the rebels who have not accepted money should return to the party fold.
Gehlot is trying to save his government after Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs rebelled. The Congress has accused the BJP of being behind the "conspiracy" to topple the state government.
Gehlot on Thursday also claimed that the money offered to MLAs to switch sides increased sharply after the announcement of the assembly session date, up from Rs 10 crore as the "first instalment" to whatever they asked. He also accused Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati of acting at the behest of the BJP, referring to her party's petition in the high court challenging the merger of six BSP MLAs with the Congress last year.
