Rajasthan: BSP demands President's rule after issuing whip to MLAs to vote against Gehlot

After the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Sunday issued a whip to the six MLAs, who had left the party to join the Congress last year, to vote against the ruling party in Rajasthan in case of a trust motion in the Assembly, the party said that President's rule should be imposed in the state in view of the political crisis and COVID-19 situation.

'President's rule should be imposed'

"BSP chief Mayawati had issued a press note over the state's current situation where she said that when people are suffering due to the pandemic, the government, on the other hand, locks their MLAs in a five-star hotel instead of letting them work for public welfare. BSP believes that in view of the current situation in the state, President's rule should be imposed in Rajasthan," said Satish Chandra Misra, the party's national general secretary while speaking to ANI.

"For the first time, a Chief Minister is going to stage a protest at Raj Bhavan. This proves that the law and order situation has been affected in the state. Governor should take a decision in this matter and President's rule should be imposed in Rajasthan without any delay in the view of political crisis and COVID-19 situation," he said.

BSP issues whip to its MLAs

Issuing a whip to the MLAs, Satish Chandra Misra, in a statement said, "All six MLAs have been issued separate notices wherein they have been informed that since BSP is a recognised national party as such there cannot be any merger under para (4) of the 10th Schedule at the state level at the instance of six MLAs unless there is a merger of the entire BSP everywhere at the national level."

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The six BSP MLAs- R Gudha, Lakhan Singh, Deep Chand, JS Awana, Sandeep Kumar and Wajib Ali have been instructed to follow the whip failing which they would entail disqualification. "It has been further stated in the notice that therefore they are bound to follow the 'whip' of BSP failing which they would entail disqualification," the statement said.

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If they do not support Gehlot, Congress' numbers will reduce to 98, pushing the govt back to the minority. Rajasthan plunged into a political crisis after differences between former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was removed as the Deputy Chief Minister and the state unit chief of Congress party.

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(With agency inputs)