Rajasthan floor test: Ashok Gehlot to go for trust vote to counter BJP's no-confidence motion

The Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government will move a confidence motion in the state assembly on Friday, August 14, during the session beginning at 11 am. This was announced at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting yesterday, chaired by the Rajasthan CM and attended by his former deputy Sachin Pilot.

Ashok Gehlot and Pilot came face to face for the first time after the month-long political crisis, which started after Sachin Pilot, along with 18 other MLAs of the party, openly rebelled against the state CM.

Gehlot meets Pilot with handshake and smile

The two leaders -- Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot -- met before the Congress legislative party meeting at Gehlot's house, marking a happy ending to the over a month-long political uncertainty in the state.

At the meeting, Gehlot gave a call to forget the past, saying, "'Apne To Apne Hote Hain'. We could have proved majority on the floor of the House even without these 19 MLAs, but then there would have been no happiness around."

Take a look when Pilot and Gehlot came face-to-face

Gehlot further said, "We will move the confidence motion ourselves. We shall also resolve the grievances of our MLAs who are annoyed with us."

It needs to be mentioned here that the BJP on Thursday announced that it will move a no-confidence motion against the Gehlot government when the special Assembly session commences on Friday.

'There is no substitute for truth integrity'

Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal, who was present at the meeting, tweeted: "There is no substitute for truth integrity. The bonds of friendship & ideology are unbreakable, they will stand the test of time & reinvigorate the party. The direction & leadership of Hon'ble Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi & Shri. Rahul Gandhi ensured this bond gets stronger."

Earlier in the day, suspension of two MLAs, Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh, who had pledged loyalty to the Pilot camp, was revoked. They were suspended after being charged with alleged horsetrading attempts to topple the government.

The CM also tweeted in the afternoon saying, "Our priority should be to save democracy with the feeling of forget and forgive. The conspiracy being followed in the states to topple the elected governments one by one in Karnataka, MP and Arunachal Pradesh by misusing the ED, CBI, Income Tax, judiciary etc. will weaken the democracy."

Pilot had revolted against the Gehlot government and was camping in Delhi since the last one month with his 18 loyalist MLAs. He returned after the matter was resolved following the intervention of senior party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Venugopal.

(With agency inputs)