We reject baseless allegations by Congress that BJP is trying to topple Rajasthan govt: Sambit Patra
Jul 17, 2020
New Delhi [India], July 17 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra on Friday rejected claims made by Congress party accusing BJP of trying to topple the Rajasthan government by bribing Congress MLAs.
"BJP rejects all the baseless allegations being levelled against the BJP leaders by Congress in Rajasthan. Actually, Congress is frustrated as it couldn't put its house in order," said Patra.
"They want to blame BJP for their failures by using a manufactured audio clip," he added.
BJP spokesperson's remark comes hours after Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala accused Union Cabinet minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Congress legislator Bhanwarlal Sharma of conspiring to topple the elected government in Rajasthan and subvert the voters' mandate.
Surjewala also read out a transcript of alleged audio of horse-trading between rebel MLAs and BJP at a press conference today.
"Yesterday, shocking tapes were aired by the media in which Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, BJP leader Sanjay Jain and Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma spoke about bribing MLAs and bringing down Rajasthan government," Surjewala said.
Referring to a petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs against disqualification notices issued to them by Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, Patra said, "Both the parties that are fighting in the High Court are from Congress. BJP is not involved in any way in this matter. By levelling baseless allegation they are trying to save their own house," Patra said.
Rajasthan Congress continues to remain in turmoil after simmering differences between Sachin Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open.
On July 14, Pilot was sacked from the posts of Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and state PCC president.
Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs.
A controversy had broken out in Rajasthan after Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG in the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the state.