Gehlot asks MLAs to 'return money' to Amit Shah, says Vasundhara Raje helped save his govt

Ashok Gehlot asked MLAs who took money from the BJP to return it to Amit Shah. He assured to compensate if they have already spent some amount.

Dholpur: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday slammed former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot camp MLAs as well as Union home minister Amit Shah over the conspiracy to topple the Rajasthan government. He urged MLAs who went to Manesar to return the entire money taken from the BJP. Gehlot said in case the MLAs have already spent some amount then he would compensate that sum.

Speaking at a public meeting in Marena in Dholpur's Rajkheda assembly constituency, Gehlot alleged that BJP leaders including Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh were involved in the conspiracy to topple his government and had distributed money in Rajasthan. Gehlot claimed that during the 2020 revolt by his party MLAs, his government could be saved because of the support of three BJP leaders -- former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, former assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal and MLA Shobharani Kushwah. "(Union ministers) Amit Shah, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Dharmendra Pradhan conspired together to topple my government. They distributed money in Rajasthan and they are not taking the money back now. I am surprised why they are not demanding the money back from them (the MLAs)," he claimed.

"I have even told the MLAs that whatever money they have taken, Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore, if you have spent anything, I will give that part or I will get it from AICC (All India Congress Committee)," he said. Gehlot alleged that if the MLAs did not return the money, they will always be under pressure from Amit Shah.

"He is the Union home minister, he will intimidate...in Maharashtra he divided Shiv Sena," Gehlot alleged. He said that he was made the chief minister by the party for a third time and it was his duty to take all along and forget past happenings and ensure the return of the party to power in the assembly elections, slated for later this year.

Gehlot said he, as the state party chief, did not support the toppling of the BJP government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as it was unfair, in the same manner, Raje and Meghwal did not support the toppling of the Congress government in 2020. He said that BJP MLA Shobharani Kushwah also listened to them and did not support the party.

Gehlot and Raje have often been accused by their detractors in their own parties of "going soft" on each other, especially when it came to allegations of corruption. The two leaders have denied any such understanding. A few days ago, Raje had rejected allegations of collusion with Gehlot as lie, saying milk and lemon juice never mix.

Dholpur MLA Kushwah had cross-voted in favour of the Congress candidate in Rajya Sabha elections last year and was suspended from the party subsequently. The Congress leader was addressing the programme in the home turf of former chief minister Raje. Gehlot also praised Congress MLAs Rohit Bohra, Chetan Dudi and Danish Abrar for alerting him about the revolt against his government in 2020.

He said that these three MLAs, BSP-turned-Congress MLAs and independent MLAs who had supported him and saved his government during the political crisis in 2020 deserved to be made ministers in his government but he could not do so due to political reasons and was sad about it. (Agency inputs)