Rajasthan crisis: Speaker issues notice to Sachin Pilot, 18 other rebel MLAs

Jaipur, July 15: A day after Congress leader Sachin Pilot was sacked as deputy chief minister, Speaker C P Joshi's office has issued notice to rebel MLAs seeking their reply by July 17.

The notice was learned to have been issued late yesterday. Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi had petitioned Speaker C P Joshi for disqualification of rebel MLAs yesterday.

Nineteen rebels who have been issued notice by the Speaker and asked to respond by Friday. If the rebels are disqualified, it will be an advantage for the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan as the majority-mark in case of a floor test will be brought down.

Earlier in the day, Sachin Pilot asserted that he had worked hard to defeat the saffron party and bring the Congress back to power in Rajasthan.

Pilot told PTI that some leaders in Rajasthan were trying to fuel speculation that he is joining the BJP and he would like to categorically state that he was not doing so.

His remarks come a day after the Congress sacked him as Rajasthan's deputy chief minister and the party's state unit president. Two loyalists of Pilot were also dropped from the state Cabinet.

Pilot, who was shown the door after he failed to attend the CLP meetings for two consecutive days, is understood to have the support of at least 18 legislators.