Rajasthan crisis: Congress sends showcause notice to absentee MLAs, warns disqualification

In an important development on Tuesday, Congress' Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pande issued a showcause notice to the MLAs who were absent at the Legislative Party meeting. The chief whip Mahesh Joshi has been informed about this. The absentee legislators will have to personally give an explanation for violating the party whip. If the reply of the MLA is found unsatisfactory, his/her membership of the House can be cancelled. As per sources, Congress has already commenced the search for candidates in a bypoll scenario. 

Read: 'Being Ambitious Isn't Wrong': Rift Within Congress As Ex-MP Priya Dutt Backs Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan government in trouble?

Pilot’s departure to Delhi with some of his supporting legislators on July 11 set off alarm bells in the Congress camp. As per sources, he had a one-to-one meeting with senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, where he listed a long list of grievances. Some of the MLAs from the Pilot camp are believed to be lodged at Gurugram as well. Additionally, sources revealed that Pilot had sought a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of the step-motherly treatment being meted out to his faction.

On July 13, the Congress Legislative Party in Rajasthan passed a resolution unanimously supporting the state government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The MLAs also condemned all acts intended to weaken the government. They also called for strict disciplinary action to be taken against any Congress MLA or office-bearer of the party directly or indirectly involved in anti-party activities. However, Sachin Pilot and his loyalists stayed away from this meeting. Moreover, they rejected the Congress party's overtures by refusing to attend the second CLP meeting convened earlier in the day. Amid his purported talks with BJP, Pilot is unwilling to back down from his demand of getting the CM's post according to sources. 

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Cong Issues Notice To Absentee MLAs; BJP To Hold Meet

Sachin Pilot thanks supporters

Meanwhile, Sachin Pilot thanked the people who came out in his support after the Congress sacked him as the Deputy CM and PCC chief. This comes after leaders such as Sanjay Jha, Jitin Prasada, Priya Dutt and several party functionaries in the Rajasthan unit of the party openly supported Pilot. Earlier in the day, Pilot tweeted, "Truth can be harassed but cannot be defeated". He is likely to address a press briefing at 10 am on July 15, according to sources.

Read: Sachin Pilot Sacked: Salman Khurshid Distressed, Says 'personal Ambitions Insignificant'