By Archana Sharma

Jaipur, Mar 30 (IANS): The re-emergence of the phone tapping issue, eight months after leaked phone conversations between a union minister and Congress leaders in Rajasthan, may again trigger a political crisis in the state.

While the fractured Congress is presenting a united face before the by-polls scheduled on three seats, the BJP, cashing in on the situation, has taken a bold step with Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat filing an FIR in Delhi against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, OSD Lokesh Sharma and unknown police officials.

Looking ahead, while the Pilot group looks exhausted after the long wait to make a comeback into the ministry as promised by high command in July last year, other Congress workers -- including those who left the BSP and joined the Congress -- are also fed up as their political appointments have been postponed thrice by state in-charge Ajay Maken.

The Pilot group has also been attacking the state government on different issues during the House proceedings. An MLA from the Pilot group told IANS: "CM Ashok Gehlot is challenging the high command by continuously delaying our comeback into the ministry. The issue is not about joining the BJP, but of our self-respect. We are elected representatives of our constituency and none of our demands are being adhered to. So we are thinking what next can be done to save our self-respect. Our leader is a disciplined soldier of the party and has been visiting different states for campaigning, but what is he getting in return?" he questioned talking to IANS.

Meanwhile Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has gone a step ahead in the phone tapping matter against the Gehlot government and demanded an investigation into the alleged tapping of phones of politicians amid a rebellion within the state's ruling Congress last year, demanding that anyone found guilty be prosecuted.

Speaking aggressively on the issue, Shekhawat said he had filed a complaint with the Delhi Police in the matter as he was targeted by the Ashok Gehlot-led state government and a case of treason filed against him by the state's Special Operation Group (SOG).

"Surprisingly, a case was registered for treason against a Union cabinet minister accusing him of trying to topple the state government and (it was) withdrawn in 10 days," he said, adding that the people and their representatives should know what came up in the government's mind during the 10-day period."

He also pulled up the state government for admitting to phone tapping and legitimising it by stating that it was done in compliance with legal procedures.

He further asked if this phone tapping was done legally, how did it manage to reach the chief minister's office and how his OSD (Officer on Special Duty) access it and make it viral?

Meanwhile, the CM's OSD Lokesh Sharma said that the allegations of phone tapping are grossly incorrect as he did not do any tapping. "The audio clip was continuously being shared on social media handles. It reached me too and there was no reason for me to hide it. Why should have I kept it hidden? he asked.

The situation prevailing at the time and the way a conspiracy was being hatched to demolish a democratically elected government, made it necessary for me to bring this conspiracy out in public interest, claims Sharma. "I sent audio clips to media groups on WhatsApp to expose the conspiracy to bring down the government," he adds.

The phone-tapping controversy erupted in July last year in Rajasthan during a political crisis due to the rebellion of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs against Gehlot's leadership when purported recordings of phone conversations among Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the then state Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh, and Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma among others, were "leaked".

A day after, the Special Operations Group of the Rajasthan Police used them as the basis for an FIR against Shekhawat and Sharma among others, for allegedly trying to topple the state government.

While both parties are engaged in campaigning for by polls at present, political observers say it is a lull before the storm for an issue which shall take centre stage once the Bengal elections are over.