As 30 Cong MLAs pledge support to Sachin Pilot, can Rajasthan government be toppled? A look at state assembly numbers

Another twist in the tale of the Rajasthan political crisis as at least 30 MLAs and some independent MLAs are in touch with Sachin Pilot and have pledged their support to him with whatever decision he takes, sources close to ANI news agency have stated.

The rift within the Congress party has deepened following reports of alleged rivalry between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Depuy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot. Reports have emerged stating that Pilot is afraid of losing the post of Rajasthan Congress president.

It may be noted that Pilot has been Rajasthan Congress president since 2014 and the 2018 assembly elections were fought under his leadership.

However, Congress decided to appoint Gehlot as the chief minister. The decision upset Pilot, who played a crucial role in reviving the party following its worst defeat in the state in the 2013 state assembly elections.  

The development comes after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who also heads the Rajasthan Home Ministry and thus law and order in the state, has repeatedly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of offering crores to Congress MPs in an effort to destabilise the Congress government run by him.

Hours after Congress leader Mahesh Joshi accused the BJP of trying to poach MLAs of the ruling party in Rajasthan, the Special Operations Group (SOG) on Saturday arrested two persons in connection with alleged attempts to destabilise state government.

Identified as Bharat Malani and Ashok Singh, the two are being interrogated for allegedly offering a sum of Rs 20-25 crores to around two dozen Congress MLAs in an attempt to make them switch sides.

Amid these accusations of poaching legislators, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has gone incommunicado ever since the Chief Minister launched a fresh salvo against the BJP. According to reports, Pilot has not been responding to either the central leadership or the local leaders' calls or attempts to communicate.

Can the Rajsthan government be toppled? Here is a look at the state assembly numbers:

Rajasthan assembly comprises of 200 seats, out of which Congress has 106 MLAs. The party has support from 12 to 13 independent MLAs (3 have already pulled back earlier this morning), 2 tribal MLAs, 1 RJD MLA, 2 CPI(M) MLAs (providing outside support to Congress).

Meanwhile, BJP has 72 MLAs including support from 3 RLP MLAs.

If the 30 loyal MLAs to Sachin Pilot (as claimed by ANI sources) pledge support to Sachin Pilot's likely decision to quit Congress, along with the 3 independent MLAs who have already pulled back, the halfway mark stands at 84. The BJP will still fall way below the mark, with 72 MLAs, to form the new government.

A meeting of Congress Legislative Party will take place at Gehlot`s residence at 10:30 am on Monday. Gehlot has also called a meeting of party MLAs and ministers in Jaipur on Sunday night.

Taking to Twitter, Gehlot said that special operations group (SOG) gave notices the Chief Minister, Deputy CM, Chief Whip, some other ministers and MLAs in connection with Congress Legislative Party`s complaint regarding horse-trading by BJP."