India / MLAs supporting Rajasthan CM Gehlot being shifted to Jaisalmer

Jaipur: Alleging that the “rate of horse trading” had increased after the date of announcement of assembly session from August 14, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has now moved his MLAs to Jaisalmer, 550 km from the state capital of Jaipur.

The MLAs had been camping at a hotel outside Jaipur since July 13 after Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs rebelled against the government triggering the political crisis. Charter planes have been hired to take the legislators to the new destination. The MLAs will be moved in batches.

CM 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. He added that rebels who have not accepted money should return to the party fold.

“The floor test will happen; we are going to the assembly. The BAC decides this,” he told reporters, referring to the assembly’s business advisory committee.

He said the House will also discuss the coronavirus pandemic and the state’s economy after the lockdown.

The chief minister claimed that MLAs have been getting calls after Governor Kalraj Mishra agreed Wednesday night to convene a session from August 14.

Gehlot said earlier the ‘rate’ was Rs 10 crore as the first instalment and Rs 15 crore as the second.

“I am not aware who all have taken the first instalment among those who had left. It is possible that some might not have taken it. I want them to come back,” he said.

Gehlot said if the dissident MLAs had any complaints, they should have gone to the AICC office, instead of keeping away.

The dissident Congress MLAs, Gehlot said, are at Manesar in Gurugram and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan police is unable to reach them.