Jaipur: Those who saved the Ashok Gehlot government at the time of political crisis will get charmless rewards as the Supreme court ruling prohibits MLAs from holding the office of profit of ministerial status beyond the fixed cabinet strength. CM Ashok Gehlot said, "MLAs appointed as his advisors or those who will be appointed as parliamentary secretaries will not get any ministerial status or perks".
Gehlot had appointed six advisors after the cabinet rejig last Sunday and that include three Congress and three independent MLAs. Now there is a buzz of appointment of more than a dozen parliamentary secretaries as an effort to adjust those who saved the government with their support at the time of political crisis last year.
But now it is clear that this exercise will not do anything for these MLAs and it is to mention here that most of them are Gehlot loyalists. "This situation will create more rift in the factions. One of the advisers to CM Ramkesh Meena has already hinted this with his open statement against the ex-deputy CM Sachin Pilot,’ said one of the MLAs on anonymity.
They will not be entitled to the status of ministers and perks and the postings they will get will be charmless.
While interacting with media Gehlot said, "Why is there such an outcry? I am just taking advice from the MLAs. How can anyone question me for doing that.’ He said that we are running a government so we know what the Supreme Court has said. All governments know that ministerial status and perks cannot be given in such cases. If these benefits are cut, who can stop the government from appointing parliamentary secretaries and advisers to the CM,
It is to note that the opposition BJP has objected to the appointment of advisers to CM terming them unconstitutional, On BJP’s memorandum, Governor Kalraj Mishra has sought clarity on the constitutional status of the appointment.
