A day after the Congress cracked the whip on Sachin Pilot by removing him as Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress unit chief, Congress on Wednesday announced that all District Congress Commities and Block Congress Committees of Rajasthan will be dissolved with immediate effect.
The General Secretary All India Congress Committee Avinah Pandey in a tweet wrote: “AICC has decided to dissolve all the District Congress Commities and Block Congress Committees of Rajasthan Pradesh with immediate effect. The process of formation of new committees will begin soon.”
Earlier, Pandey, the incharge of party affairs in Rajasthan had said: “The doors are not closed for Pilot in the party. May God give him wisdom and he understands his mistake. I pray that he comes out of the BJP`s make-believe trap.”
The announcement comes in the midst of a major turmoil in the Congress party in Rajasthan, as former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot revolted against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and skipped two meetings of the Congress Legislative Party.
While Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh blamed the BJP of conspiring to topple the government and expressed confidence that the government will complete its 5 year term.
Accusing the BJP, the minister asked if the BJP had no role in the crisis then why were there 200 teams of Income Tax and ED conducting raids in the state. On Sachin Pilot’s statement that he will not join BJP, Singh said “it is a good thing.” He added that Pilot should meet Sonia Gandhi and make his point.
Meanwhile, state Assembly Speaker CP Joshi on Wednesday issued a notice to Pilot and 18 other rebel MLAs for ignoring the party whip. The notice was issued after Rajasthan government’s chief whip Mahesh Joshi lodged a complaint with him.
Speaker Joshi has sought the reply of Pilot and his loyalist MLAs by July 17.
The crisis in Rajasthan started on Sunday (July 12) after Pilot raised the banner of revolt against CM Gehlot and sent a message to the party that he may quit with this loyalist MLAs. Pilot claimed in some interviews that he has the support of over 30 MLAs.
