Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Saturday criticised the Congress-led government in Rajasthan and said it was unfortunate that the people of the state had to pay for the discord within the ruling party. “There is no point in trying to drag the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] and BJP leaders into the mud,” Raje said.

The Congress government in Rajasthan plunged into a political crisis when party leader Sachin Pilot rebelled against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and proceeded with a few MLAs to Delhi last week. Pilot was sacked as the Rajasthan deputy chief minister and as the Congress’ state unit chief on July 14. The next day, Assembly Speaker CP Joshi disqualified Pilot and 18 other legislators. The party has accused the BJP of political manoeuvring to topple its government in the state.

However, Raje called the allegations pointless. She said the political turmoil in the state came at a time when Rajasthan was grappling with the coronavirus pandemic along with several other socio-economic issues, drawing a sharp distinction with the present concerns of the state government.

“[The infighting has come] at a time when Covid-19 has claimed more than 500 lives and positive cases are close to 28,000,” the BJP leader tweeted. “At a time when locusts are attacking the farmers fields, at time when crime against women is at an all time high, at time when there is problem of electricity... and I am only naming a few problems faced by the people.”

The former chief minister added that “interests of people must remain paramount” and urged the Congress to “think of the people”. She added “#RajasthanFirst” to her tweet.

Earlier in the day, Raje had said it was unfortunate that the people of Rajasthan have to “bear the brunt of the infighting in the Congress,” ANI reported. “They are attempting to put the blame on the BJP,” she said.

The BJP has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry to check whether the Congress government in the state had indulged in phone-tapping, after audio clips surfaced of two MLAs of the ruling party allegedly talking to a Union minister. The Congress had used the clips to claim that horse-trading had been taking place, with the BJP colluding with the dissident Sachin Pilot faction in the Rajasthan Congress.

However, the Congress rebutted the allegations and called for an independent investigation into the saffron party’s “nefarious activities” in Rajasthan. “Every day, a new layer comes out exposing the direct links of the BJP in creating some kind of a crisis [in the state],” party spokesperson Pawan Khera said.

The power struggle

The power struggle between Gehlot and his deputy had been going on for quite some time, but the latest crisis was triggered after Pilot was summoned by the Rajasthan Anti-Terror Squad and the Special Operations Group last week.

The SOG had sought time from Pilot to record his statement in a case of conspiracy and sedition registered after attempts were allegedly made by the BJP to bribe Congress MLAs to switch sides during last month’s Rajya Sabha elections. However, Gehlot had pointed out that the notice was misinterpreted, adding that a similar notice was sent to him as well.