Jaipur: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan alleged that Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Sachin Pilot plotted to topple his administration.
During his visit to Sikar, Gehlot said, "Everyone knows that you (Shekahwat) conspired to topple the government. Now you are taking the name of Sachin Pilot saying he made a mistake. There is strong proof that you were hand in glove with him (Pilot)."
Gehlot was reacting to Shekhawat's recent statement in Chomu where he said that Pilot missed a "golden chance" of repeating a "Madhya Pradesh-like experiment" in Rajasthan.
If Pilot had not failed to topple the Rajasthan government, the state's 13 districts would not have remained thirsty and the work on the Eastern Canal project would have started, Shekhawat claimed.
Responding to Shekhawat's comments Gehlot referred to the incident of phone-tapping involving Shekhawat.
The state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) recently served a notice to Shekhawat requesting his voice samples in the phone-tapping case emerged during the political crisis of 2020, when Pilot had rebelled against the state leadership under Gehlot.
Gehlot said, "The law is doing its job and finally the notice has been served to Shekhawat. What's wrong with submitting voice samples?"
"You (Shekhawat) were the main character in the plot to topple the government and everyone knows that you have been exposed. When your voice came, the world knew that the voice was yours. You conspired to topple the government and now you are taking the name of Sachin Pilot, saying that he made a mistake. This becomes an official proof that you were hand in glove with him," Gehlot added.
The Chief Minister's remarks once again triggered discussions in the Congress, as he hinted that Shekhawat was in collusion with Pilot.
Many feel that Gehlot's remarks will intensify the ongoing tussle between the two camps led by the Chief Minister and Pilot.
Source: IANS with edits