Viral video: Gehlot calls Dotasra for discussion, BJP demands CM’s resignation

The viral video purportedly shows Congress MLA accusing two BTP MLAs of receiving Rs 5 crore during the Rajya Sabha polls.

Cornered by the opposition after the ruling party MLA’s video went viral, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot will hold discussion with state party chief Govind Singh Dotasra on the issue on Monday, Congress leaders said. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded CM’s resignation.

The alleged video of Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, Congress MLA from Bagidora and a former minister, is doing the rounds on social media. The video purportedly shows Malviya saying, during a campaign for panchayat polls in Banswara, that each of the two BTP MLAs of Dungarpur received Rs 5 crore during the Rajya Sabha polls and Rs 5 crore each during the political crisis when former deputy CM Sachin Pilot rebelled against the Gehlot government.

A senior Congress leader familiar with the development, said on condition of anonymity, that Gehlot has called Dotasra, who is currently on a visit to Sikar, for discussions. Apart from other organizational issues, the CM will be taking up the ongoing video issue with Dotasra. He added that the state in-charge and AICC general secretary Ajay Maken has already spoken with Gehlot on the issue.

Hitting at Gehlot, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a series of tweets, demanded his resignation. Retweeting the video, he stated, “Gehlot government is playing with democratic values and mandate, and it is not hidden. Now, it is clear from the acceptance of the party’s senior MLA Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya in front of public that CM Ashok Gehlot has no right to continue on his post.”

He said, “The trust vote obtained by the state government in the Legislative Assembly through the purchase and sale of MLAs was actually deceit with the public, similarly the victory of the Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha election is also doubtful.”

In another tweet, he said, Gehlot talked about herding, and simultaneously, on the other hand, created a chakravyuh (trap) of horse-trading, mislead the public and attacked the BJP to divert attention from his deceit. But now, all the secrets of this conspiracy are coming out themselves - the public is watching everything.

Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma said the person who was involved in destabilising the state government has no moral authority to seek anyone’s resignation. The plot of toppling the government failed and now they are making baseless allegations, she said.