New Delhi: Hanuman Beniwal, national convener of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan, Thursday accused former chief minister Vasundhra Raje of asking Congress MLAs close to her to support Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and “maintain distance from Sachin Pilot”.
In a series of tweets, Beniwal said the people of Rajasthan and the country have now understood the story of Vasundhara-Gehlot’s internal alliance.
प्रदेश व देश की जनता वसुंधरा-गहलोत के आंतरिक गठजोड़ की कहानी को समझ चुकी है !#गहलोत_वसुंधरा_गठजोड़
— HANUMAN BENIWAL (@hanumanbeniwal) July 16, 2020
“Former CM Vasundhara Raje spoke to MLAs close to her in @INCRajasthan on phone and asked them to support @ashokgehlot51. In both Sikar and Nagaur districts, she spoke to the Jat MLAs and asked them to maintain distance from @SachinPilot. We have strong proof of this!” he tweeted.
पूर्व सीएम वसुंधरा राजे ने @INCRajasthan में उनके करीबी विधायको से दूरभाष पर बात करके उन्हें @ashokgehlot51 का साथ देने की बात कही,सीकर व नागौर जिले के एक एक जाट विधायको को राजे ने खुद इस मामले में बात करके @SachinPilot से दूरी बनाने को कहा जिसके पुख्ता प्रमाण हमारे पास है !
— HANUMAN BENIWAL (@hanumanbeniwal) July 16, 2020
Beniwal further alleged that the former chief minister is doing her best to save a minority government. “Former CM Vasundhara Raje is also making a strong effort to save the minority government of @ashokgehlot51. Raje has also made calls to many Congress MLAs about this,” he added.
पूर्व सीएम वसुन्धरा राजे @ashokgehlot51 की अल्पमत वाली सरकार को बचाने का पुरजोर प्रयास कर रही है,राजे द्वारा कोंग्रेस के कई विधायको को इस बारे में फोन भी किए गए !#गहलोत_वसुंधरा_गठजोड@AmitShah @AmitShahOffice @JPNadda @BJP4India @BJP4Rajasthan @RLPINDIAorg
— HANUMAN BENIWAL (@hanumanbeniwal) July 16, 2020
ThePrint reached Raje through phone calls, but she didn’t respond.
However, Gulabchand Kataria, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan assembly, told ThePrint such comments about Raje are not “acceptable”.
“I have spoken to Beniwal and Vasundhara ji. We can’t even imagine any such thing about her. She’s a senior leader and such comments aren’t acceptable. We don’t know why he posted such comments. And I have told Beniwal to remove them,” he said.
Also read: The incredible loneliness of Vasundhara Raje – once the top woman in Rajasthan
Not the first time
This is not the first time that Beniwal has attacked Raje.
Last year, a day after the bypoll results in Rajasthan were declared, Beniwal accused Raje of “aiding” the Congress candidate contesting from the Khinvsar seat in Nagaur.
The bypolls were held on 21 October.
आदरणीय @AmitShah जी @JPNadda जी @SatishPooniaBJP जी लोकसभाचुनाव और अब खिंवसर उप चुनाव में भी @VasundharaBJP और पूर्व मंत्री यूनुस खां ने @RLPINDIAorg का @BJP4Rajasthan @BJP4India से गठबंधन के बावजूद कोंग्रेस प्रत्याशी की चुनाव में खुले आम मदद की,इनपे कार्यवाही की जाये !
— HANUMAN BENIWAL (@hanumanbeniwal) October 25, 2019
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the state unit of the BJP held an informal meeting that was attended by Kataria, BJP state president Satish Poonia, and party leader Rajendra Rathore. It was decided in the meeting to adopt a wait-and-watch policy, but to also keep an eye on the recent political developments in the state where ‘rebel’ Congress leader Sachin Pilot was sacked from the post of the deputy CM and state unit chief after he declared an open revolt against Gehlot.
The BJP has claimed that the Gehlot government is in a minority, but says it will not seek a floor test.
Kataria Wednesday said a floor test could only be sought by the rebel MLAs, who are supporting Pilot.
Pilot and 18 ‘rebel’ Congress MLAs Thursday moved the Rajasthan High Court against the disqualification notice issued to them by assembly speaker C.P. Joshi. In his petition, Pilot said he is still with the Congress.
Also read: Sachin Pilot sacked as Rajasthan Dy CM & state Congress chief, says ‘truth can’t be defeated’