Rajasthan Guv Mishra’s 6-question reply to CM Gehlot’s urgent Assembly session request

Last updated on February 14th, 2023 at 12:55 pm

Political crisis in Rajasthan has deepened amid the furore between the Sachin Pilot-led rebel faction and CM Ashok Gehlot’s camp of Congress loyalists. Rajasthan CM has been mulling over convening an assembly session to prove his majority. However, Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra questioned CM Gehlot over his request to convene an Assembly session ‘when his government already has a majority’.

In a statement issued in response to the Gehlot government’s letter seeking to convene an Assembly session on a “very short notice”, Governor Mishra said: “It has also been said that the state government has a majority, then what is the justification for convening the session to get the confidence vote.”

Responding to the letter, Rajasthan Governor raised six points in his statement asserting that the state government’s demands lacked crucial details. He noted that no justification or agenda has been proposed to call the session on such short notice, adding that in the normal process, at least 21 days notice is required for the session to be called. In addition, the Governor asked the CM how the assembly session would be conducted with the decision on the disqualification of Sachin Pilot-led rebel ministers still pending in the court.

“It has also been said that the state government has a majority, then what is the justification for convening the session to get the confidence vote.”

Governor Mishra

Furthermore, Mishra highlighted that in the letter no date for assembly session was specified, and there was no mention of the Cabinet’s approval for the same. He went on to ask the state government to ensure the independence of all MLAs.

Significantly, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has taken note of the objections raised by the Governor. As per latest media reports, Gehlot will be holding discussions with other Congress legislators for a revised plea to be submitted to the Governor for convening an Assembly session.

This development came in the wake of Ashok Gehlot’s remarks criticising Governor Mishra for not giving him permission to convene an assembly session to review the ongoing political situation and Coronavirus response plan in the state. He further alleged that the Governor is acting “under pressure from the top”. Rajasthan Congress MLAs, along with CM Gehlot, also staged a ‘dharna’ outside the Governor’s office.

In the aftermath of rebellion by former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and his supporters, Gehlot’s government in Rajasthan is facing a risk of collapse. Sachin Pilot was sacked as the deputy CM of the state, following which Assembly Speaker CP Joshi sent disqualification notices to him and 18 other rebel legislators. He was also removed by Congress as the party’s Rajasthan state unit chief.

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In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, Congress had the support of 125 MLAs, out of whom 107 MLAs belong to the party. Besides them, 13 Independents and five MLAs from other parties extended their support to Congress in the Assembly. On the other hand, BJP has 72 legislators along with the backing of three MLAs from the RashtriyaLoktantrik Party. Rajasthan Assembly’s majority mark stands at 101.