Rajasthan crisis: Over 90 MLAs reach CM Gehlot's residence to attend CLP meeting

Jaipur, July 13: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has called a meeting of Congress legislators on Monday morning after a few leaders supporting deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot trooped to the National Capital Region (NCR) amidst speculations of a split in the party.

Sachin Pilot has made it clear that he will not attend the meeting.

Over 90 MLAs has reached Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence in Jaipur, for Congress Legislative Party meeting.

With the Congress Legislative Party meeting scheduled for today, 16 Congress MLAs are yet to reach Jaipur.

According to ANI sources, these MLAs are Rakesh Paarik, Murari Lal Meena, GR Khatana, Indraj Gujjar, Gajendra Singh, Harish Meena, Dependra Singh Shekhawat, Bhanwar Lal Sharma, Vijendra Ola, PR Meena, Ramesh Meena, Vishvendra Singh, Jahida Ramnivas Gavadia, Mukesh Bhakar, Hema Ram Chaudhary and Suresh Modi.

Sources said, if they do not come to attend the meeting, then disciplinary action is likely to be taken against them as stated by Congress' Avinash Pandey yesterday and it is possible that their membership could be cancelled.

Avinash Pande, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan said the BJP was behind the "conspiracy" to topple the Ashok Gehlot government but it will complete its term.

Pande said late on Sunday that the party has issued a whip to mandate the presence of all the party's MLAs during Monday morning meeting.

Monday's meeting will be the latest in the series of talks the Congress party has been holding amid the political crisis in Rajasthan.

In the 200-member assembly, the Congress has the support of 125 MLAs, including 107 of its own legislators. The party has the backing of 13 independents and five from other parties. The majority mark is 101. The BJP has 72 legislators and has the support of three of Hanuman Beniwal's Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RPL).