The ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan took yet another turn on Saturday, with six BJP MLAs travelling to Gujarat. They allege that they had been facing 'mental harassment at the hands of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
"Lots of political activities are happening in Rajasthan. CM Ashok Gehlot doesn't have majority & the govt is mentally harassing BJP MLAs," said MLA Nirmal Kumawat. The six legislators are on a two day trip to the neighbouring state and according to Kumawat, have come to visit the Somnath Temple. As of Saturday evening, they had reached Porbandar via flight. The Somnath Temple incidentally is located near Veraval, around 120 kilometers away.
"More MLAs will join us. Congress government in Rajasthan is pressurising us to vote in their favour," Kumawat told news agency ANI outside Porbandar Airport in Gujarat.
Ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly session that is slated to begin on August 14, party sources told PTI that 12 party MLAs on Friday had left Rajasthan for Gujarat's Ahmedabad where they camping at a resort. The legislators will be staying at a luxury resort and would be a part of a larger group.
BJP chief Satish Poonia however has rejected suggestions that the BJP legislators need to be herded to one place ahead of the Assembly Session. All legislators are "united and there is no distrust", Poonia said, adding that people in the Congress government are trying to "spread rumours and confusion" about BJP MLAs on social media and other forums.
Against this backdrop, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje met senior party leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday. She is believed to have discussed the political situation in the state. While Raje has been largely silent amid the ongoing crisis, she had on Friday met party chief JP Nadda and party general secretary B L Santhosh. There has been no official word on what transpired in these meetings.
With the state government split into two factions, while allied legislators contend with their own parties and related crises,
(With inputs from agencies)
