Jaipur/New Delhi, Jul 14 (UNI) The Congress party on Tuesday removed its Rajasthan leader and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot from all posts on the charges of 'anti-party' activities.
Also, two state cabinet ministers Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena, said to be Mr Pilot's loyalists, were also dropped.
The decision was taken after Mr Pilot along with others leaders gave Congress Legislature Party's (CLP) meeting in Jaipur a miss. The meeting was called to discuss frictions between the camps of Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with an open invitation to the former.
Mr Pilot along with others remained cemented in Delhi, 280 km away from the pink city. They missed the meeting on Monday as well.
Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra replaced Mr Pilot as new Congress party chief for Rajasthan. However, no one was appointed deputy chief minister.
Mr Gehlot in the evening met State Governor Kalraj Mishra and presented the proposal of sacking the three leaders from the Congress party which was accepted.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surejewala told mediapersons in Jaipur, "Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders spoke to Mr Pilot several times. We appealed to him time and again and assured him of solving all issues. I am sad that he and some of his colleagues have fallen for a trap laid by the BJP...This is unacceptable."
Reacting on his removal, Mr Pilot said he was being humiliated and his supporters were extremely hurt.
"Truth can be rattled but not defeated," he wrote in Hindi on his twitter handle.
However, Mr Gehlot while speaking to mediapersons said the decision to sack Mr Pilot and two other cabinet ministers was not taken by him but Congress high command.
"It was concluded that they (Pilot and others) have made up their mind to remain aloof," he claimed.
The Chief Minister accused opposition Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to overthrow his government through 'horse-trading' his MLAs.
"Pilot and others are just ploy. The main player is the BJP who is trying money power as they did in Madhya Pradesh. They have offered Rs 25 crore to many and will not succeed in Rajasthan," the Chief Minister claimed.
He said that for toppling the government, one needs two-third majority. "Is it possible in Rajasthan. Did you see how many MLAs attended the CLP meeting?", he questioned and asserted that Congress would successfully complete its five-year term.
Reacting over the fast-paced developments, Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria claimed that the Congress government has slipped below the magic number and challenged Gehlot to take floor test to prove majority in the Assembly.
"The government is not in majority and who has numbers can be proved at the floor of the House," Mr Kataria said while speaking to mediapersons.
Mr Kataria categorically rejected the allegations of horse-trading made by Mr Gehlot against the BJP. "The situation has arisen due to infighting among Congress leaders. The BJP has nothing to do with it," he claimed.
On the other hand, BJP party chief in Rajasthan Satish Poonia told mediapersons that the political turmoil in the party was a consequence of sidelining Mr Pilot.
"What happened afterwards. Everyone knows. The end of Congress rule is very near," he claimed.
The political turmoil began in the state when Special Operation Group (SOG) constituted by the chief minister to investigate alleged horse-trading before Rajya Sabha polls, asked Mr Pilot to record his statement. Later, the SOG also sent a letter to the chief minister for his statement, but Mr Pilot called it a 'coverup'.
Mr Pilot, then left his homestate and reached the national capital and claimed that he has a support of over 30 Congress MLA, sufficient to topple the Gehlot-ruled government.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister and Uttar Pradesh general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, reached out to Mr Pilot, but in vain.
To re-join Gehlot fold, Mr Pilot had demanded Home and Finance portfolios apart from remaining the party president for Rajasthan, the sources had claimed.
On Monday, a resolution was passed by the CLP for a disciplinary action against anyone involved in anti-party activities.
In the 200-member State Assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs, while the BJP 72. The ruling party has the support of one Rashtyia Lok Dal, two Communist Party of India (Marxist), two Bharatiya Tribal Party MLAs and 13 Independents.
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