'Pilot group targeted': Rajasthan MLA threatens to quit amid row over seating in assembly

After accusing the Rajasthan government of discriminating against state legislators, Congress MLA Ved Prakash Solanki on Saturday accused the Ashok Gehlot-led government of targeting the Sachin Pilot camp, that had rebelled against the state last year. 

"Pilot group is being targeted. A few Congress MLAs will meet Congress state in-charge Ajay Makan. This is not the issue of only one MLA, people of Rajasthan want to know whether an injustice has been done with the SC/ST MLAs," said Ved Prakash Solanki. 

Row over seating arrangement in Rajasthan assembly

This comes after former minister Ramesh Meena and MLAs Murari Lal Meena and Ved Prakash Solanki alleged that the Congress government was trying to 'suppress' the voice of the SC/ST legislators and minorities by allotting them seats in the assembly without mics. The MLAs had even threatened to resign over the issue, saying that they will approach former Congress President Rahul Gandhi to address their concerns. 

"The Chief whip should issue the list. Everybody has a problem with the seating arrangement but few are speaking and few not. I had a word with the state party chief. Everybody is pained. Few MLAs are feeling suppressed and few want to remove that stress that's why Ramesh Meena has proposed for resignation," he added. 

In July last year, the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan was brought on the verge of collapse after former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot led a rebellion along with 18 other party MLAs against Gehlot. After much back-and-forth, the issue was settled in August post the intervention of the party high command including Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi who urged the Pilot camp to give up rebellion, promising to address their grievances. However several leaders, largely belong to the Pilot camp like Ramesh Meena (who was removed from the cabinet for rebelling) have accused the Gehlot government of step-motherly treatment after the incident. 

(With Agency Inputs)