Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Tuesday, 21 July, served a legal notice to Congress MLA Giriraj Malinga for claiming that he had offered him Rs 35 crore to topple the government, news agency PTI reported quoting sources.
Pilot has reportedly demanded Re 1 as compensation from the MLA, as well as a written apology, within seven days, for levelling allegations against him, purportedly to tarnish Pilot’s image and gain political mileage.
Malinga, who was elected on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket but switched to the Congress a few months back, on Monday said that he had instead alerted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot about the conspiracy to topple his government after Pilot offered him money.
“I alerted the chief minister soon after the incident and I can swear to it in the name of god,” Malinga said, adding that the talks of toppling the government were held at Pilot’s residence.
In response to the allegations, Pilot had said: “I am saddened but not surprised to be at the receiving end of such baseless and vexatious allegations being levelled against me. This is done solely to malign me and to stifle the legitimate concerns that I had raised against the party leadership of the state, as a member and MLA of INC. This attempt further aims at defaming me and attack my credibility.”
Pilot, who was sacked as deputy CM and state party chief, also contended that the “narrative is being redirected to avoid addressing the main issue”.
Pilot had warned of a legal action against Malinga and said that he shall be “unfettered and remain firm in his beliefs and convictions.”
(With inputs from PTI and IANS.)
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