Jaipur, Dec 5 (IANS): Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday surprised one and all by claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is once again playing the game of trying to topple the state government and accused union home minister Amit Shah of meeting rebel MLAs during the political crisis in the state earlier this year.
Gehlot alleged that Union Home Minister Shah met rebel MLAs and told them that he had toppled five governments and will soon topple the sixth government as well, said Gehlot.
Gehlot made these explosive claims while inaugurating a Congress office in Sirohi.
The Rajasthan CM further said that efforts were made to topple the Rajasthan government during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic as well. "When our MLAs went to meet Amit Shah, he was accompanied by petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rajya Sabha MP Syed Zafar Islam. This meeting continued for an hour," he added further.
"These MLAs told me that they were embarrassed to see people like Shah are occupying the position of home minister once held by Sardar Patel."
"Overall, a scene was created that they were experienced in toppling governments of four states and they will topple the government in the fifth state too. Veteran leaders like Ajay Maken, Randeep Surjewala, KC Venugopal and Avinash Pandey came here and their decisions to suspend our own party MLAs helped save our government," he said.
Gehlot also announced that Congress offices will be made in different districts and new offices will not be collected by funds coming from Delhi as was the case in BJP.
Meanwhile, leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said that Congress leaders parade to Delhi started right from the time Congress government was formed. Deputy CM Sachin Pilot was ignored since the government was formed due to which this situation of political crisis emerged.
Taking names of veteran leaders such as Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan without any proof is beyond the dignity of politics, said state BJP president Satish Poonia.
"BJP is a party of workers and has taken the responsibility of building a office on its own. For 50 years the Congress party built their homes instead of building offices and today they are questioning us," he added.
It may be recalled that a political crisis was reported in Rajasthan in July when rebel MLAs under former deputy CM Sachin Pilot went to Delhi demanding a change in leadership in the desert state.