A day after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot claimed that former CM Vasundhara Raje helped save his government in 2020 by opposing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) attempts to bribe MLAs, BJP leaders have demanded a clarification from Gehlot.
Terming Gehlot's statement as irresponsible, Union minister and BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday demanded a clarification from Gehlot.
He said, “Vasundhara Raje is our senior leader and has been the chief minister twice. Ashok Gehlot’s remark that Vasundhara Raje helped save his government during the 2020 party revolt is an irresponsible statement. He should clarify how and when Raje supported him.
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“If Gehlot has proof to support his claim that BJP offered money to Congress MLAs for allegedly toppling his government during the political crisis of 2020, in that case, he should lodge an FIR.”
Shekhawat’s statement comes a day after Gehlot had claimed he survived the 2020-revolt by some Congress MLAs —referring to the rebellion of Sachin Pilot and 18 loyalists— because BJP leaders including Vasundhara Raje and Kailash Meghwal who refused to support a conspiracy to topple his elected government through money power.
What did Gehlot say?
Addressing a programme in Dholpur district, considered to be a stronghold of Raje, Gehlot claimed that she and Kailash Meghwal had helped in saving his government. Meghwal is a former speaker of the state assembly and is currently an MLA.
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He said, “Vasundhara Raje and Kailash Meghwal helped me to save my government as they did not support toppling by the BJP government.”
Gehlot also accused Union ministers Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat of being involved in the “conspiracy” to topple the government.
“Both Kailash Meghwal and Vasundhara ji said that BJP does not have a tradition of toppling elected governments by money power and that is how our government was saved,” said Gehlot, who also thanked Shobharani Kushwaha, the BJP MLA for breaking her ties with the BJP and supporting Congress during the Rajya Sabha elections.
Raje, however, refuted Gehlot's claims, and said it was a “big conspiracy” against her. She accused him of lying.
“Gehlot is fearing to face the assembly polls slated later in the year, so he is creating these 'lies' and fabricated stories as he can see his historic defeat in the polls. His lies are a conspiracy to shake my mass base. Gehlot has humiliated me a lot in my life", Raje said in a statement.
Gehlot Vs Raje
Gehlot and Raje have often been accused by their detractors in their own parties of being friends, particularly when it came to allegations of corruption. Exactly a month ago, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot opened a fresh line of attack against Gehlot for not acting against the alleged corruption of the previous BJP government led by Raje. He went on to hold a day-long fast.
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Pilot further said, “Why has the Gehlot government not initiated any investigation into these matters of the excise mafia, illegal mining, land encroachment and the Lalit Modi affidavit case? Congress government had evidence against the former BJP government but had not acted on it.”
