In Gehlot-Pilot tussle, a brand new headache for Cong: 6 MLAs who got here from BSP

Six legislators of the BSP who merged with the Congress in Rajasthan two years in the past on Tuesday mentioned that though they offered stability to the Ashok Gehlot authorities, and stood by it at occasions of crises, they’ve been subjected to “injustice” within the occasion. They additionally focused the MLAs from the Sachin Pilot camp, saying they had been constructing strain on the Congress excessive command for ministerial berths regardless of indulging in dissidence.
Hours later, two MLAs from the previous deputy chief minister Pilot’s camp launched a counter-attack, questioning the timing of the outburst and accusing the six MLAs of becoming a member of the Congress in greed of energy.
The newest face-off comes at a time when Pilot is tenting in Delhi, the place he’s anticipated to boost the grievances of his supporters with the Congress excessive command.

The six former BSP MLAs are counted as loyalists of Chief Minister and their demand for being rewarded might presumably be a part of a technique of the Gehlot faction to sign to the occasion excessive command that in case of a cabinet growth, other than Pilot loyalists, a few of these MLAs who stood by the occasion must also be accommodated.
Earlier within the day, Sandeep Yadav, the MLA from Tijara who was among the many six who had switched to Congress, slammed the Pilot camp – with out naming anybody – at a press convention. “The 19 people [Pilot and MLAs of his camp] are creating pressure on the party high command. They are pressuring it to include them as ministers. Those who worked towards destabilising this government, they are repeatedly creating pressure,” he mentioned. “What right do they have to create pressure on the high command and by what right the high command is listening to them?”
Last 12 months, Pilot and his 18 loyalist MLAs had left the state and camped in Haryana and Delhi for over a month, leading to a political disaster in Rajasthan. At the time, the Congress had claimed it had the bulk within the Assembly after counting the assist of Independent MLAs together with the six former BSP MLAs.
“They repeatedly say the high command of the Congress party should listen to the Congress workers. Which workers are they talking about? The government is surviving because of us and you weakened the government after it was formed. The high command shouldn’t listen to them and should instead reward those who saved the government and stood by it,” Yadav mentioned.
Along with Yadav, the press convention was addressed by MLAs Rajendra Singh Gudha, Joginder Singh Awana and Lakhan Singh. Two different MLAs – Wajib Ali and Deepchand – didn’t attend the press convention. While Ali is at the moment overseas, Deepchand advised The Indian Express later that their views had been the identical as expressed on the press convention.
All six MLAs had gained the 2018 Assembly elections on BSP tickets however merged with the Congress in 2019.
“When we joined, we didn’t know that people from the Congress will go away, return after one and half months and the high command will welcome them back. They went away and whatever happened following that, even after that if there is no difference between the loyal and disloyal then it is injustice,” mentioned Gudha, the MLA from Udaipurwati.
Nadbai MLA Awana mentioned the six of them made a “huge sacrifice” by becoming a member of Congress. “All six of us who won from the BSP, we merged into the Congress party with full honesty and sincerity because of Ashok Gehlot, the Chief Minister. Even today, a sword is hanging over us as the matter is pending in Supreme Court. After this huge sacrifice, we provided stability to the Congress government and the Congress party,” he mentioned.
Last 12 months, throughout the political disaster within the state, the BSP had challenged in court docket the merger of the six MLAs with the Congress.
Lakhan Singh, who represents Karauli, mentioned the six of them had been united and no matter any one in every of them says is the stand of the others.
When requested in the event that they desired ministerial berths, the MLAs mentioned they’d adhere to no matter resolution is taken by Chief Minister Gehlot.
The outburst of the MLAs comes at a time when there may be rising unease within the Pilot camp over their inclusion in governance with points resembling cabinet growth and political appointments being their longstanding demand. After Pilot’s revolt final 12 months, he was eliminated because the deputy chief minister and Congress president in Rajasthan and likewise needed to lose his ministerial portfolios. His supporters additionally had been faraway from the ministry.
Later within the day, whereas addressing a press convention, two Pilot loyalist MLAs – Mukesh Bhakar and Rakesh Pareek – focused the previous BSP MLAs.
“In the last two-and-half years, they didn’t have such energy. Who is making them say all this? They should first ask themselves,” mentioned Bhakar.

Targeting Yadav, he mentioned, “Dalits and Muslims are the big vote banks of the Congress. He came to the Congress after defeating Durru Mian [Congress candidate from Tijara in 2018 elections] and damaged Dalit votes. Let him say that if the party doesn’t give him ticket, he will still stay in the Congress.”
Bhakar additionally alleged that he has seen some suspicious folks exterior his home and when confronted, they mentioned they had been doing their “duty”. He alleged that officers, together with Collectors and SPs, don’t choose up calls of Pilot loyalist MLAs and their work by no means will get finished.
“Those who voted for the BSP, you should ask them who are the traitors? We, who are fighting for our rights, or those who left the party and merged with the government in power,” mentioned Bhakar.
“Pilot saab will decide our future strategy. He is in touch with the high command,” he added.