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Rajasthan political crisis live updates: Two-judge bench to hear Pilot camp's amended petition today

THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jul 17, 2020, 00:21:19 IST

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Rajasthan political crisis live updates: Two-judge bench to hear Pilot camp's amended petition today

The Congress has made several overtures to Sachin Pilot, indicating that the party is keen to keep him within the fold. On Thursday, Pilot and other rebel MLAs moved Rajasthan HC, challenging the Assembly Speaker's disqualification notice. Stay with TOI for all the updates

11:17 (IST) Jul 15

Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi has issued notices to Sachin Pilot and other rebel Congress MLAs after the party sought their disqualification from the state assembly

11:10 (IST) Jul 15

Congress puts notice at MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat's residence in Vallabhnagar, for not attending CLP meetings

Rajasthan: Congress party puts notice at MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat's residence in Vallabhnagar, for not attendin… https://t.co/aqkwn42pvJ
— ANI (@ANI) 1594791417000

10:52 (IST) Jul 15

Sachin Pilot was made an MP, a Central minister, Rajasthan party chief & deputy CM, what is his age? He is still young, he should have some patience. His actions have been against the party discipline. These youngsters do not have patience

Digvijaya Singh, Congress

10:50 (IST) Jul 15

May God give Sachin Pilot wisdom & he doesn't try to topple govt. He should admit his mistake. Doors were always open for him for talks, even today. But, now he seems to have moved ahead of all this, so these things don't matter now

Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande

10:36 (IST) Jul 15

Disqualification notices to be sent to Sachin Pilot, other MLAs for not attending CLP meet: Congress

“The notices of disqualification will be issued to all such MLAs, including Sachin Pilot, who were absent from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting through the Speaker of legislative assembly,” AICC general secretary Avinash Pande said on Wednesday. He said the party has filed a petition before the Speaker for dismissal of such MLAs. If replies by the MLAs are not found to be justified, it is up to the Speaker to decide for action, he added.

READ FULL STORY

10:22 (IST) Jul 15

Notice issued to Sachin Pilot and18 other party members for not attending Congress Legislative Party meetings. If they don't respond within two days, then it will be considered that they are withdrawing their membership from CLP: Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande

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10:06 (IST) Jul 15

I have worked very hard to bring Congress back in govt in Rajasthan

Sachin Pilot

09:34 (IST) Jul 15

Read: I’m not joining BJP, Sachin Pilot says

READ FULL STORY

09:25 (IST) Jul 15

Sachin Pilot to address media at 1pm

09:00 (IST) Jul 15

State executive, all departments, cells of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee dissolved

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and party in-charge for Rajasthan Avinash Pande dissolved all cells and departments of the state party unit. Taking to Twitter, Pandey announced the decision late on Tuesday night. In another tweet, he said that no congressmen will communicate with the media without the permission of newly appointed Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara.

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08:24 (IST) Jul 15

Rajasthan crisis may give BJP more ammo to target Cong ‘dynasty’

Even if Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot survives for now, the rebellion by the Pilot camp could come as a major gain for BJP as the government will be critically dependent on Independents and sundry parties and thus remain vulnerable. It is likely to also strengthen BJP’s arguments the hold of the Gandhi-Nehru family over the Grand Old Party is diminishing by the day with most of the younger leaders unhappy with the leadership and making their anger public while even exploring “better” political future for themselves.

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08:02 (IST) Jul 15

Read: Outpouring of support for Pilot, colleagues regret his exit

Sachin Pilot’s sacking as Rajasthan deputy chief minister and state Congress chief and impending exit from the party brought out an outpouring of support and regret from party colleagues who called him a talented leader and wished things had not come to such a pass though some questioned his “over-ambitiousness”. The sense of regret is all the more significant as it seems to reinforce the view that younger leaders do not have space and revives speculation that the party is chary of anyone gaining prominence in comparison to Rahul Gandhi.

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07:08 (IST) Jul 15

Pilot changed his Twitter profile and identified himself simply as the MLA of Tonk assembly seat and former minister.

07:08 (IST) Jul 15

Soon after Pilot's tweet, AICC in-charge of the state Avinash Pande said, "True. You rattled the truth a lot in association with the BJP but could not defeat it, nor will you be able to do so in future. Satyameva Jayate."

06:55 (IST) Jul 15

Party insiders said a cabinet reshuffle would take place soon. The three new appointments of Dotasra (Jat), Shekhawat (Rajput) and Ghogra (tribal) in the party organisation have been made keeping in mind the state's social make-up. The Jat community is the largest in the state, followed by Brahmins. Before Pilot, the PCC chief was a Jat, Dr Chandrabhan, who had succeeded C P Joshi, the current assembly speaker. To pacify the Gujjar community, to which Pilot belongs, the party may increase the community’s representation in the cabinet.

06:09 (IST) Jul 15

Congress withheld any move to disqualify rebel MLAs, perhaps with an eye on a likely floor test. If the rebel strength does not decline, then disqualification proceedings might be considered. Some Congress leaders, though unhappy over Pilot's exit, felt the leader had over-extended himself.

06:08 (IST) Jul 15

So far, Pilot’s camp has said he will not join BJP though there is speculation over various formulae that might include the leader floating a regional party or being accommodated at the Centre in the cabinet. It is, however, clear that BJP and Pilot will need to join forces to challenge Gehlot.

06:08 (IST) Jul 15

The next act in the political drama will depend on Pilot's ability to mobilise MLAs and a likely floor test Gehlot may face. BJP leaders like Union water resources minister Gajendra Shekhawat said anyone who believed in the party’s beliefs was welcome.

06:08 (IST) Jul 15

While BJP demanded that Gehlot face a floor test, Pilot’s plan of action was not immediately clear. He tweeted in Hindi, saying “truth can be rattled, not defeated”, and there were expectations that he might address the media on Wednesday. The parting with Congress was on the cards as Pilot had made it clear that portfolios for supporters or assurances on his tenure as state chief fell way short of his expectations.

Gehlot, too, was determined to settle the issue, placing a majority of Congress MLAs in a resort and alleging that BJP was the force behind Pilot.

06:08 (IST) Jul 15

Four Pilot loyalists — cabinet ministers Vishvendra Singh (tourism) and Ramesh Meena (food and civil supplies) and heads of frontal organisations Rakesh Pareek of Seva Dal and Mukesh Bhakar of Youth Congress — were also sacked. Pareek was replaced by Hem Singh Shekhawat and Bhakar by MLA Ganesh Ghogra. NSUI president Abhimanyu Poonia resigned from his post in support of Pilot.