Wouldn’t Be Happy Winning Majority Without 19 MLAs: Gehlot at Meet

As the CLP meet concluded, several leaders said the party will be united in the Assembly session on Friday.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday, 13 August, met CM Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur at the latter’s residence for the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet.

(Photo: The Quint)

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday, 13 August, met CM Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur at the latter’s residence for the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet, which was his first interaction with the chief minister since he kicked off the rebellion last month.

While visuals of a smiling Gehlot-Pilot duo shaking hands ahead of the meet have clearly indicated a favourable outcome for the Congress in the expected floor test on Friday at the Rajasthan Assembly session, Gehlot at the CLP meet reportedly said that he would have won the majority without the 19 rebel MLAs but that would not have given him as much happiness.

“We could have proved the majority even without these 19 MLAs (Sachin Pilot and 18 MLAs who were supporting him) but it would not have given us happiness. We will bring Vote of Confidence,” he was quoted by ANI as saying.

Catch all live updates of the Rajasthan crisis here.

‘All Is Well’

After the CLP meet concluded, several Congress leaders told the media that the party will put up a united front in the Assembly session on Friday following the truce.

“Everything went on well. Now the Congress family is united, we will fight against BJP’s bad politics. Tomorrow in Vidhan Sabha Congress party will stand unitedly,” KC Venugopal, one of the mediators amid the crisis, was quoted by ANI as saying.

Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh said that the party is ready to face the no-confidence motion that the BJP plans to move in the Assembly.

“There's nothing much to say. Congress stands united. CM is CLP leader and respected by all. All is well that ends well. It has ended on a very good note. If BJP wants they can bring no-confidence motion tomorrow, it is their job,” Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh was quoted by ANI as saying.

“CM has said that if anyone has any complaint they can meet him, whenever they want,” Singh said-

BJP to Move No-Confidence Motion

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday will bring a no-confidence motion against the government. Speaking to the media earlier on Thursday, the BJP said that there are a lot of differences in the government.

“The way they have struggled, there are chances that they might bring a vote of confidence in the Assembly but we are also ready to bring a no-confidence motion,” Satish Punia, BJP Rajasthan President said, as quoted by ANI.

Gulab Chand Kataria, Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly, said that the party will bring a no-confidence motion on Friday in the Assembly along with its allies.