Rajasthan crisis: Congress MLAs end five-hour dharna at Raj Bhawan

The Rajasthan High Court is scheduled to deliver a verdict on the plea of dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot and 18 supporting MLAs who have challenged the disqualification notice served against them by the assembly Speaker.

Image courtesy: ANI

The Rajasthan High Court ordered maintaining status quo on disqualification notices issued by the assembly speaker to 19 dissident Congress MLAs, including Sachin Pilot. The notices were served by the assembly speaker to the MLAs on July 14 after the party complained to him that the legislators had defied a whip to attend two Congress Legislature Party meetings last week.

The High Court also accepted a plea to make the Centre a party to the case.

Pilot and 18 rebel party MLAs had challenged a disqualification notice served to them by Assembly Speaker CP Joshi in a petition filed in the Rajasthan High Court. The notice was given on the request of Congress’ chief whip who said Pilot and his supporters did not attend the party’s CLP meetings. In the last hearing, the High Court had asked the Speaker to wait for its verdict on the matter before taking any action against the MLAs on the July 14 disqualification notice.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot accused Governor Kalraj Mishra of being under pressure not to call a state assembly session. Gehlot said the state government requested the Governor to call an assembly session but he has not yet issued the order.

The CM said that all Congress legislators in his support are going to the Raj Bhawan to make a collective request to call the session.

Thank you for joining us at Zee News for updates related to the Rajasthan political crisis.

24 July 2020

22:03 IST

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra writes to CM Ashok Gehlot stating, 'Before I could discuss the matter with experts regarding Assembly session, you have publically said that if Raj Bhawan is 'gheraoed' then it is not your responsibility. If you & your Home Ministry can't protect Guv then what about law & order in State? 

21:30 IST

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has decided to hold cabinet meeting today at 9:30 pm at his residence in Jaipur. The CM is expected to will discuss fresh proposal letter for assembly session to Governor. The Congress, however, will hold demonstrations in all district headquarters in the state on Saturday against the BJP's "conspiracy" to bring down the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led government, the party said. 

19:41 IST

The Congress in Rajasthan will hold demonstrations in all district headquarters on Saturday against the BJP's "conspiracy" to bring down the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led government, the party said. It also claimed "invisible powers" in Delhi are trying to ensure that the governor does not convene a session of the state assembly. (PTI)

18:22 IST

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appeals to all Congress MLAs demonstrating outside Raj Bhavan, says "we don't want any confrontation with the Governor."

I am sure that Governor will not come under any pressure, he will make a decision. We hope the Assembly session begins soon. So we are sitting here in protest. After he gives us a letter we will decide the further course of action: #Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot https://t.co/yefV1vVp5x

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020

17:54 IST

BJP leader GC Kataria has asked the Central government to deploy CRPF at Raj Bhawan as Congress MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot staged a sit-in and raised slogans at Raj Bhawan.

I urge the central govt to not leave the law and order in the hands of #Rajasthan Police and deploy CRPF here so that the sanctity of this constitutional post is upheld. Those protesting at Raj Bhawan should be driven out & all legal remedies should be used for it: GC Kataria https://t.co/v7a0QYu95q

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020

17:45 IST

Rajasthan Congress MLAs in the Ashok Gehlot camp began a`dharna at the Raj Bhawan here, saying they will stay put till the Governor summons a session of the state assembly. The MLAs led by Chief minister Ashok Gehlot arrived there on four buses from a hotel on the city outskirts where they have been camping for the past few days. (PTI)

17:32 IST

The Rajasthan High Court today ordered maintaining status quo on disqualification notice issued by the state assembly speaker to 19 dissident Congress MLAs, including Sachin Pilot. The assembly speaker issued the notice to the MLAs on July 14 after the ruling Congress complained to him that the legislators had defied a whip to attend two legislature party meetings last week. (PTI)

16:46 IST

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday accused Governor Kalraj Mishra of being under pressure to not call an assembly session. Gehlot said the state government requested the governor to call a session, but he had not yet issued the order. (PTI)

16:24 IST

Congress MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sit and raise slogans at Raj Bhawan. The Chief Minister meets Governor Kalraj Mishra over the issue of the convening of the Assembly Session. 

15:24 IST

Inside visuals from the bus in which CM Ashok Gehlot and Congress MLAs supporting him went to Raj Bhawan.

Rajasthan: Inside visuals from the bus in which Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress MLAs supporting him went to Raj Bhawan. pic.twitter.com/1ZwRWVoFXF

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020

15:24 IST

Rajasthan Congress MLAs supporting CM Ashok Gehlot assemble outside Raj Bhawan in Jaipur. 

Rajasthan: Congress MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at Raj Bhawan. pic.twitter.com/9LZ9FRCWZy

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020

15:16 IST

Six BSP MLAs who recently joined the Congress party in Rajasthan also arrived in buses at Raj Bhavan. BTP MLAs also arrive at Raj Bhavan.

15:15 IST

Bhadra MLA Balwan Pooniya arrives in his own car at Raj Bhavan. 

15:14 IST

MLA Divya Maderna flashed the victory sign upon arriving at the Governor's house and said, "We have the full majority. You may count every MLA who are present with us. Some of them are awaiting outside as they have not got the permission to visit Raj Bhavan."  

15:14 IST

MLA Divya Maderna flashed the victory sign upon arriving at the Governor's house and said, "We have the full majority. You may count every MLA who is present with us. Some of them are awaiting outside as they have not got permission to visit Raj Bhavan." 

15:06 IST

Congress leaders arrived in 4 buses at Raj Bhavan today. 

15:05 IST

Congress MLAs raises slogans of 'Gehlot Zindabaad' outside Raj Bhavan.

15:04 IST

CM Gehlot meets Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhavan in Jaipur. According to reports, meeting between the two leaders is underway.

Rajasthan: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot meets Governor Kalraj Mishra, at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur. pic.twitter.com/3InchkeSr4

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020

14:55 IST

CM Ashok Gehlot, who reached Raj Bhavan along with his party MLAs, is meeting Governor Kalraj Mishra. 

Earlier today, CM Gehlot said the Governor was holding a constitutional post and he should immediately take a decision to maintain the dignity of post.

14:43 IST

Congress MLAs arrive at Raj Bhavan to meet Governor. 

Congress MLAs supporting CM Gehlot show victory sign as they enter Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Kalraj Mishra.

Rajasthan: Congress MLAs supporting CM Ashok Gehlot show victory sign as they enter Raj Bhawan to meet Governor Kalraj Mishra. pic.twitter.com/ZP3lpOMMK8

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020

14:41 IST

Rajasthan: Congress MLAs supporting CM Ashok Gehlot are on the way to meet Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhawan.

Rajasthan: Congress MLAs supporting CM Ashok Gehlot are on the way to meet Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhawan. pic.twitter.com/qUrNqFVEV7

— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020

14:41 IST

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on investigation court against him in audio-tapes controversy:

There is a political conspiracy. It will become clear in coming days that how, when & who are behind it: Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Rajasthan Court's order to investigate against him and his associates in alleged 'Sanjivini Credit Cooperative Society' scam.

14:40 IST

Rajasthan Congress leader says he is ready to conduct COVID-19 tests of 200 MLAs

If media reports are true about Governor saying that state assembly session can't be conducted due to COVID-19, then we are ready to conduct COVID-19 tests of 200 MLAs: Raghu Sharma, Rajasthan Minister and Congress leader

14:39 IST

Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting held at Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur at around 1:30 pm today. CM Ashok Gehlot, Congress leader Ajay Maken also present.

14:37 IST

CM Gehlot says he won't be responsible if people of the state come to encircle Raj Bhavan in retaliation. 

Governor Kalraj Mishra should take a decision otherwise if people of the state come to encircle Raj Bhavan then it would not be our responsibility: CM Gehlot

14:36 IST

CM Gehlot claimed the telephones of rebel party MLAs have been seized. 

They are calling us and asking us to take them out from there. Some of them are ill. The Centre does not care about this. In Haryana, there is a BJP government. This is all conspiracy of BJP and its leaders like they had done in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and other states. Now, they want to do it in Rajasthan. People of Rajasthan are with us as well as MLAs.Gehlot said that Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra is not calling the state Assembly session due to pressures from the top: CM Gehlot

14:36 IST

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot alleged that colleagues, apparently referring to Congress MLAs from Sachin Pilot camp, have been held as hostages in Haryana under BJP's supervision.

Some of our colleagues have been kept as hostages in Haryana under BJP's supervision. Everybody knows that. It may be possible they don't want to be there. They are our own colleagues: CM Gehlot

13:21 IST

We are going to Governor Kalraj Mishra to request him to not come under pressure and call Assembly session. We want to start the Assembly session from July 27. We won't be responsbile if people Gherao Raj Bhavan in retaliation: CM Gehlot

13:14 IST

The conspiracy to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan has been concocted by BJP: CM Gehlot

13:14 IST

Congress has full majority in Rajasthan. We want to start Assembly session on July 27, says CM Ashok Gehlot to mediapersons. He added that BJP is using Income Tax, CBI and Enforcement Directorate to harm democracy. 

13:08 IST

We want assembly session from Monday, asked Governor Kalraj Mishra to summon it: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

13:00 IST

Rajasthan CM Gehlot interacts with media persons outside Raj Bhavan, says 'we have the numbers and have nothing to worry about.' He said he spoke to Governor Kalraj Mishra to convene Assembly session but got no response from him.

12:57 IST

Earlier, during a hearing on the disqualification notice filed by Pilot camp, the court also directed to complete the pleading in the matter. 

The final hearing will take place after the pleading completes and an early listing application is moved. The High Court will only hear the matter related to whether the notice issued by the Speaker was right and whether Schedule 2 (1) (A) is Constitutional: Advocate Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Assembly Speaker CP Joshi said.

12:57 IST

BJP MLA files petition in the Rajasthan High Court for quashing the merger of six BSP MLAs with the Congress, a move which helped the ruling party to retain majority in the assembly.

12:46 IST

CM Gehlot expected to speak to mediapersons before visiting Raj Bhawan along with his supporting MLAs. The Chief Minister may pass a statement on today's Rajasthan High Court's decision impleadment of Union of India in writ petition on disqualification issue.

12:43 IST

Movement seen outside Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur where MLAs of the Gehlot camp been stationed. Security agencies are on alert. According to reports, CM Gehlot along with his supporting MLAs will go to Vidhan Sabha to meet Governor Kalraj Mishra.

12:42 IST

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's camp of MLAs will meet Governor Kalraj Mishra, asking for the next state assembly session to be convened. 

12:42 IST

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot writes to state Govenor Kalraj Msihra, asking for the next state assembly session to be convened. 

12:40 IST

The Centre seeks time from the court for submission of a reply on the matter. Earlier, during the hearing, Rajasthan High admitted a petition filed by the 19 dissident Congress MLAs to include the Union government in the list of respondents to their petition. 

12:33 IST

Rajasthan High Court orders status quo, no action for now on disqualification notices against dissident MLAs: Counsel.

12:20 IST

The application for impleadment was moved by the Pilot camp on the grounds that the constitutional amendment is under challenge and, therefore, the Union of India is a necessary party now.

12:19 IST

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) will represent Centre in the court: Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Speaker CP Joshi

12:17 IST

The court also asked Speaker CP Joshi to defer any action on the rebel MLAs on the July 14 disqualification notices. 

12:13 IST

Kathumar MLA Babulal Bairwa, one of the Congress MLAs who are staying at Fairmont Hotel, has been admitted to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur after he complained of difficulty in breathing.

Congress MLAs have been staying at the hotel for nearly two weeks after the state plunged into a political crisis as the differences between Sachin Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open.

12:13 IST

Rajasthan High Court has made Centre a party in the case against Congress, in the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and MLAs against disqualification notice. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) will represent Centre in the court: Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Speaker CP Joshi

12:10 IST

There is a possibility that the verdict will not be declared today. The centre may ask for time to respond: Prateek Kasliwal, the Speaker's counsel, said. 

12:09 IST

The court made Centre a party in the case against Congress in the petition filed by Team Pilot against disqualification notice.  

12:09 IST

The Rajasthan High Court allowed the petition moved by dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot and 18 MLAs seeking impleadment of Union of India in writ petition on disqualification issue.