BJP holding our colleagues as hostages in Haryana: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday 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," he said at a press conference here.

"Their telephones have been seized. Some are ill. They are calling us and asking us to take them out from there. 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".

"After the decision of the Cabinet, we wrote a letter to Governor stating that we want Assembly session to be convened in order to discuss issues including corona and the political situation... We believe that because of pressures from the top, Governor is not giving directions to call the session. We are unhappy with this," the Chief Minister said.

"We want to go to the floor. Opposition parties were also demanding this. I have talked to him over the phone today and requested him again. We want to convene the Assembly session from Monday. We have a clear majority and we have no problem. But despite this they are worried," he said.

"We will request the governor not to come under anyone's pressure. He is on the constitutional post and has taken an oath. He should take a decision otherwise if people of the state come to encircle Raj Bhavan then it would not be our responsibility," Gehlot said.

Rajasthan plunged into a political crisis as the differences between Sachin Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open.

Later, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi sent disqualification notices to Pilot and 18 MLAs under the anti-defection law after the chief whip's application for their disqualification.

MLAs were earlier asked to present before Assembly Speaker on July 17, but the same was deferred in view of the hearing before the High Court.

Pilot and 18 MLAs have approached the Rajasthan High Court against the disqualification notices issued against them.

Rajasthan High Court had asked Speaker CP Joshi to defer the proceedings pending before him on the disqualification notices issued to Pilot and 18 MLAs of his faction and put off the verdict on the matter till July 24. (ANI)