"Rajasthan Govt is stable, all MLAs united," claims Congress

After Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot arrived in Delhi with 16 Congress MLAs and 3 independent MLAs to meet the party high-command to brief about the state's political situation, Congress General Secretary Incharge Avinash Pandey has claimed that the govt in Rajasthan is stable and all MLAs are united under the leadership of CM Ashok Gehlot.

New Delhi:Amid the deepened political crisis in Rajasthan due to the rift between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, the latter had arrived in Delhi with his loyalist MLAs in order to meet the party high-command to brief about the state's political situation. However, the party seems to be confident about the stability of its Government in Rajasthan while claiming that all the MLAs stand united.

"I'm in continuous touch with most of the MLAs. Those who came to Delhi have gone back to Jaipur and met the Chief Minister also. I feel that the Government in Rajasthan is stable and all the MLAs are together and united under the leader of CM Ashok Gehlot," said Congress General Secretary Incharge Avinash Pandey while speaking to ETV Bharat.

Pilot, along with 16 Congress MLAs and 3 independent MLAs reached Delhi late night on Saturday. According to the sources, he also had a meeting with Congress' senior leader Ahmed Patel to explain to him about the matter.

The rift between Gehlot and Pilot is deep-rooted ever since Gehlot took over the charge of state's Chief Minister. However, Pilot is also upset about the matter of receiving a notice from Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police seeking his availability for recording his statement in connection with alleged attempts to topple Congress Government in the state.

When asked about the matter, Pandey replied, "I've not heard anything from Sachin Pilot Ji about that letter. It was a normal routine enquiry for which CM, as well as 22 other MLAs, have also given the notice to cooperate in the horse-trading business which BJP is trying to do with MLAs of Rajasthan."

"In the interest of democracy and transparency, everybody is cooperating and I don't think Sachin Ji would feel offended about it," he further asserted.

Amid the political tussle in Rajasthan, former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, whose defection to BJP contributed to the collapse of Congress' Madhya Pradesh Government, earlier this year, also taunted his former party.

He tweeted, "Sad to see my erstwhile colleague Sachin Pilot too, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Shows that talent and capability find little students in Congress."

In a sharp reply to Scindia, Avinash Pandey said, "With all due respect, Sachin Pilot Ji is PCC President, holding a very huge responsibility of being deputy CM with five portfolios. I don't understand how a person, having so much of responsibility and working for the party, can be sidelined."

Rajasthan CM has called a meeting of all the state ministers and MLAs at his residence at 9 pm. As per the sources, he has also assured Congress President Sonia Gandhi about MLAs support, stating that there is no threat over the Government.

Congress high-command has decided to send party's leaders Ajay Maken and Randeep Singh Surjewala to Jaipur, who along with Pandey, would also attend the meeting at CM's residence.