Congress government in Rajasthan in trouble

The Congress party has alleged that attempts are being made to topple its government in Rajasthan ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections on 19 June. Three seats in Rajasthan are up for election.

Sources say the Congress has moved all its MLAs to a resort outside the state. This comes after the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh collapsed after 22 MLAs defected to the BJP. In July last year, the party lost power to the BJP in Karnataka, where it was ruling in alliance with HD Kumaraswamy, after manye xits.

In a letter to the chief of the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Chief Whip of the Rajasthan assembly, Mahesh Joshi has said, “like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, in Rajasthan, our MLAs and independents supporting us are being lured in an attempt to destablise a democratically elected government, which is completely devoted to the service of people”.

The letter does not name the BJP but says “attempts are being made to lure the MLAs with money power”. In another interview, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said he has heard “reports that the BJP is willing to spend up to 25 to 30 crore per MLA”.

For now, the Congress looks comfortable. But the BJP can turn the tables if can get the support of 12 Independents, who are currently backing the Congress.

Over the last months, the Congress lost seven of its MLAs in Gujarat. Three of them resigned recently and there is concern that others might follow. In Gujarat too, Rajya Sabha elections are going to be held.

A majority in Rajya Sabha is crucial for the BJP in order to push its bills through the upper house of Parliament.