In a massive setback for Mayawati, all six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs in Rajasthan joined the ruling Congress on Monday night, cementing the shaky Ashok Gehlot government. All the six BSP MLAs were in constant touch with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. They met Assembly Speaker CP Joshi and submitted a letter informing him about their decision to join the Congress on Monday night.
“The BSP MLAs met me and handed their letter about this,” Speaker CP Joshi said.
MLAs Rajendra Singh Gudha, Jogendra Singh Awana, Wajib Ali, Lakhan Singh Meena, Sandeep Yadav and Deepchand said they were merging their legislative party with the Congress.
“We took a decision in order to fight against communal forces and to work for the development of the state and stability of the government. Ashok ji is the best Chief Minister and no one can be better than him for Rajasthan. I was impressed with his style of working and polity,” Udaipurwati MLA Rajendra Gudd told news agency ANI.
The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly has 200 chairs. The Congress had won 100 seats in the Assembly elections held last December. The party was enjoying the support of Rashtriya Lok Dal’s (RLD) one MLA, BSP’s six MLAs, and 12 Independents, giving it the majority to run the government.
The 12 Independents were giving outside support to the Congress. In March this year, the 12 Independents took the membership of Congress, increasing the Gehlot government’s tally to 112 in the assembly. With six BSP MLAs merging the legislative party with the Congress, the party has now the support of the 118 members. The BJP had won 73 seats.
Meanwhile, BSP president Mayawati hit out at the Congress after six of her MLAs in Rajasthan switched sides. She said that the has once again proved that it is “unreliable” and “untrustworthy”.
“The Congress government in Rajasthan has once again broken BSP MLAs and proved that is an unreliable and untrustworthy party,” she tweeted.
