Pilot conspiring since past 6 months to topple Rajasthan govt: Gehlot

Even as the hearing against the disqualification of Sachin Pilot and rebel MLAs is on in the Rajasthan High Court, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday (July 20) came down heavily upon his sacked deputy, and said he has been conspiring against the Congress government for the past six months with BJP’s support.

“He (Sachin Pilot) was conspiring from past six months with BJP’s support. Nobody believed me when I used to say that conspiracy is going on to topple the government. Nobody knew that a person with such innocent face will do such thing. I’m not here to sell vegetables, I am the Chief Minister,” said Gehlot on Monday.

Gehlot said that Pilot, with his “innocent face” and “good command over Hindi and English,” has impressed the media across the country.

“Our MLAs are staying without any restrictions but they have held their MLAs captive. They are calling us and crying over phone while explaining their ordeal. Their personal mobile phones have been snatched. Some of them want to join us,” he added and even referred to Pilot as “worthless” and “good for nothing”.

Pilot’s rebellion against the Gehlot government had plunged the state into a political crisis a week ago, leading to his ouster from the cabinet and state unit chief post. On being served disqualification notices, he and his loyalist MLAs had approached the High Court last week, and succeeded in obtaining a reprieve till Tuesday.

Related news: Good English and being handsome isn’t everything: Gehlot’s dig at Pilot

The Congress had alleged BJP’s role in horse-trading, and two audio clips, where its leaders are purportedly heard discussing bribe, are being investigated. The BJP has termed this as fake, and filed a complaint against Congress leaders Mahesh Joshi and Randeep Surjewala for citing a “manufactured audio clip”.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Giriraj Singh Malinga alleged that Pilot, who has been sacked as the PCC chief as well, had offered him money to join the BJP, but he refused. He said that he had alerted the chief minister ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections about a conspiracy to topple his government.

(With inputs from agencies)