The political turmoil in Rajasthan continued on Friday with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accusing the governor of being "under pressure" to calling for an Assembly session, and Congress MLAs supporting him raising slogans outside the Raj Bhawan.
Gehlot said that the state government had requested Governor Kalraj Mishra to call a session, but he had not yet issued the order.
"We want an Assembly session from Monday," Gehlot told reporters outside the hotel where the legislators supporting him are camping. "The governor is not giving orders for calling Assembly session under pressure."
On Friday afternoon, Gehlot also met Mishra over the issue of the convening of the Assembly Session.
Speaking to reporters, Gehlot on Friday added that after the recent cabinet meeting, the governor had been requested to hold an Assembly Session to discuss the political situation, and review the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on the state's economic situation.
Rajasthan: Congress MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at Raj Bhawan. pic.twitter.com/9LZ9FRCWZy
— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020
"We hoped that the governor would issue an order to call the Assembly session yesterday (Thursday) night itself. I waited overnight but still there is no reply from his side," he said.
"It is beyond our comprehension because simple procedures are adopted. The governor has to give orders. There is no reason for him to stop," he said adding that Mishra was holding a constitutional post and he should immediately take a decision to maintain the dignity of the post.
"Otherwise, all our MLAs will come to Raj Bhawan and collectively request you please give your decision immediately," he said.
After addressing reporters, Gehlot called for party's legislature meeting in the hotel.
The chief minister also urged Mishra to make a decision regarding the Assembly session "on the basis of his conscience", PTI reported. Otherwise, he added, they would "not be responsible" if people of the state gherao the Raj Bhawan.
Gehlot said he had a majority, and that things would be crystal clear in the Assembly.
Referring to the disgruntled Congress MLAs camping in Haryana, Gehlot said: "This whole game is a conspiracy of the BJP and its leaders. Just like they did in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and other states , they want to do in Rajasthan. But in Rajasthan, the people of the entire state, the entire MLAs are with us."
Earlier on Friday, the Rajasthan High Court ordered that the 'status quo' should be maintained on the disqualification proceeding against former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs of his camp pending before the State Assembly Speaker.
"The court has given a status quo order on the 14 July order of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Speaker. The court has observed that the petitioners' prayer numbers 3 and 4, which seek to allow them to continue as MLAs, does not come under its jurisdiction," advocate Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, told reporters.
He also said that the high court has made the Central government a party in the case.
"The court has also directed to complete the pleading in the matter. The final hearing will take place after the pleading completes and an early listing application is moved. The high court will only hear the matter related to whether the notice issued by the Speaker was right and whether Schedule 2 (1) (A) is constitutional," Kasliwal said.
The lawyer said that the matter will now be taken up by the Supreme Court.
Earlier, Rajasthan High Court had asked Assembly Speaker CP Joshi to defer the proceedings pending before him on the disqualification notices issued to Pilot and 18 MLAs of his faction and put off the verdict on the matter till 24 July.
With inputs from agencies
July 24, 2020 at 04:54PM
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