By Archana Sharma

Jaipur, Jun 12 (IANS): Is the resort politics being staged in Rajasthan of the government, by the government and for the government?

This is the most asked question in Rajasthan after the ruling party's MLAs were shifted to private resort on fears that they could be poached ahead of the coming Rajya Sabha polls.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had earlier accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to repeat the Madhya Pradesh story in Rajasthan, via horse trading, to topple his government. The BJP, on the other hand, refuted these allegations and asked the Congress to prove the charges.

Meanwhile, Gehlot, addressing the media on Friday, revealed that the complaint pertaining to horse trading in Rajasthan has been made to the SOG.

Congress whip Mahesh Joshi, meanwhile, told IANS that a large amount of money being sent to Rajasthan can be linked with 'Hawala' or money laundering, and hence an investigation should be conducted and adequate action should be taken against the accused.

Joshi had earlier made a complaint to the ACB in the same matter, requesting it to take action against the accused.

Meanwhile, BJP state President Satish Poonia demanded that Gehlot should come forward to prove these allegations or else he should apologise to people and MLAs for insulting them. "He should either stop telling lies or else we all have legal routes open for us too," he warned.

As Poonia questioned the CM on credibility of the complaint, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief Sachin Pilot had on Thursday also expressed his ignorance about any such complaints and said that no one should spread lies. "There is no such information of any MLA being sold or bought. We all stand united and shall win two seats out of three in Rajya Sabha," he had said.

As the CM and the Deputy CM again seemed to have variant views, their differences were out in the open, raising many questions on the credibility of the complaint.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Congress suddenly called a press conference, which sources said, was meant to give a message 'Hum Saath Saath Hai' even as the hotel, serving as the venue, was unprepared as it was closed for the last three months during lockdown. Media hence stood out under the scorching sun waiting for its doors to open for around 45 minutes as the hotel was being cleaned. Social distancing took a toss in this situation.

Congress' central leaders including spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala, state in charge Avinash Pandey and General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal, who is contesting the RS polls from Rajasthan, flanked Gehlot and Pilot on the dais.

However, the mike was mainly with Surjewala who answered most of the questions of the media, while Gehlot and Pilot were seen restricted to a few replies and Venugopal was all silent all throughout. Leaders from both the Pilot and Gehlot camp were seated across the dais again to give a message that they stand united.

All went well, but a question which was not answered by anyone was 'how many MLAs and which were the MLAs being poached?'

Another which went unanswered even as the press meet concluded was on how many days will the MLAS be kept at the resort.