Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Meets Governor Kalraj Mishra, Submits MLAs List

JAIPUR: Amid the ongoing power tussle, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Pilot met governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday evening and submitted a list of MLAs who are supporting him.

According to a leading daily, the meeting at Raj Bhavan lasted for 45 minutes.

Following the meet, it is speculated that there could be a possibility of a brief assembly session next week for the government's trust vote.

Parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal has confirmed to the daily that Gehlot has submitted the list to the governor and that the figure was above 101 in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly.

However, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson termed the CM-governor meet as a courtesy meeting during which the coronavirus pandemic was discussed.    

Meanwhile, Gehlot on Saturday mopped up the support of two BTP MLAs, shoring up numbers for his shaky government. Ending days of speculation, BTP legislators Rajkumar Roat and Ramprasad said they will back the Gehlot government on the condition that demands related to the development of the state are fulfilled.            

With the party split between Gehlot and Pilot, who was sacked as deputy chief minister earlier this week and has the support of 18 MLAs, each seat counts.            

In the house of 200, the Congress has 107 MLAs, including the 19 dissidents who have been issued notices of disqualification by the speaker and have challenged them in the high court. Congress has maintained the claim that the Gehlot government has the support of 109 MLAs, including the two BTP MLAs.

Meanwhile, in the phone tapping row, the Centre on Saturday evening sought a report from the Rajasthan government on the allegations of phone tapping. In a communication, the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Rajasthan chief secretary to provide the details of the incident, an official said, as reported by a daily.