Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has lashed out at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deliberately delaying the Rajya Sabha polls by two months to carry out the horse-trading of MLAs.
Speaking to reporters, Gehlot said, “This election should have been completed two months ago but it didn’t happen with the blessings of Modi ji. What was the logic? Because you had not been able to complete the purchase of MLAs in Gujarat and Rajasthan. You tore the Indian democracy in pieces. You pressurised the Election Commission. I had condemned then.”
Gehlot said that the BJP wanted to replicate Madhya Pradesh in his state to topple his government, adding that 22 MLAs who left the Congress to join the BJP were not able to enter their constituencies following protests from their electorates.
“The same game was being played here (in Rajasthan). But my MLAs are intelligent and they understood the (BJP’s) game well…I am so proud that six BSP MLAs too have stood by us. Rajasthan is the first state in India where the BKP has not been able to carry out the horse-trading even for Rs 1.”
This came just hours after the Congress took all its MLAs to a resort fearing poaching by the BJP ahead of the 19 June Rajya Sabha elections.
Rajasthan government’s Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi had written to DG, Anti-Corruption Bureau, alleging attempts to poach Congress MLAs and the independent legislators backing the government by the BJP.
इस बात का मुझे गर्व है कि मैं इस राजस्थान की धरती पर मुख्यमंत्री हूँ, जिस धरती के लाल ऐसे हैं जो बिना सौदे के और बिना लोभ-लालच के सरकार का साथ देते हैं।
Talked to media after meeting with MLAs. pic.twitter.com/Wb1UB4AIZw
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) June 10, 2020
The Rajya Sabha elections for three seats are due for 19 June in Rajasthan. The Congress is all set to win two MPs, while the BJP one, according to their strength in the Rajasthan assembly. But the BJP has fielded two candidates prompting fears of poaching by the saffron party.