Big conspiracy: Vasundhara Raje counters Ashok Gehlot claims she saved his govt in 2020

Senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje on Sunday hit back at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over his claim that she saved his Congress government from toppling in 2020. Raje alleged that Gehlot is lying out of fear of losing the 2023 assembly elections.

"Ashok Gehlot praising me is a big conspiracy. No one can insult me as much as Gehlot did in his life, He has made such false allegations as he is rattled by the rebellion in his own party", Vasundhara Raje said in a statement.

Addressing a programme in Dholpur, Ashok Gehlot on Sunday claimed Vasundhara Raje and two other BJP leaders had helped save his government during the 2020 revolt by his party MLAs.

Gehlot said that his government could be saved because of the support of three BJP leaders - former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, former assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal and MLA Shobharani Kushwah.

"Amit Shah, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Dharmendra Pradhan conspired together to topple my government. They distributed money in Rajasthan and they are not taking the money back now. I am surprised why they are not demanding the money back from them the MLAs," he claimed.

"I have even told the MLAs that whatever money they have taken, Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore, if you have spent anything, I will give that part or I will get it from AICC," he said.

Gehlot alleged that if the MLAs did not return the money, they will always be under pressure from Amit Shah.

"He is the Union home minister, he will intimidate...in Maharashtra he divided Shiv Sena," Gehlot alleged.

He said that he was made the chief minister by the party for a third time and it was his duty to take all along and forget past happenings and ensure the return of the party to power in the assembly elections, slated for later this year.

Gehlot and Raje have often been accused by their detractors in their own parties of going soft on each other, especially when it came to allegations of corruption.

The two leaders have denied any such understanding. A few days ago, Raje had rejected allegations of collusion with Gehlot as lie, saying milk and lemon juice never mix.

with PTI inputs