Gehlot's govt will complete term; BJP has no reason to cheer: Surjewala

Congress government in Rajasthan totters after deputy chief minister Rajesh Pilot threatens to walk out, saying he has the support of 30 party MLAs.

Congress party-led Rajasthan government will complete its five-year tenure and neither the BJP nor its allies have any reason to rejoice, senior Congress leader and spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in Jaipur late Sunday night.

"Congress party is united. It will be united and Congress party's government will complete its tenure by serving the people of Rajasthan in the same manner as it is doing now. There is no reason for BJP and its allies to rejoice without any reason," Surjewala told reporters.

Surjewala along with colleague Ajay Maken had arrived in Jaipur as central observers sent to save the party's government in Rajasthan. The two leaders have been sent in the wake of a deepening of crisis in the State with state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot at loggerheads.

In the early hours of Monday Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande addressing a press conference along with Surjewala and Maken declared that the party had issued a whip to all MLAs to be mandatorily present at Congress Legislature Party meeting to be held at 10:30 am today.

"Strict disciplinary action will be taken against any MLA who is absent without mentioning the personal, special reason," Pandey said.

While chief minister Ashok Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the State government by poaching MLAs, deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot has been is camping in Delhi to speak to the party leadership regarding the political turmoil in the State.

A controversy broke out in Rajasthan after the state's Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered in connection wi th the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs.

The clash between Gehlot and Pilot is also over the post of PCC Chief as Gehlot Camp wants that 'One Leader One Post' formula to be implemented in Rajasthan. Currently, Sachin Pilot heads the PCC besides holding the Deputy CM post.

Congress has 107 MLAs and the Gehlot government is supported by 10 Independent MLAs and two each from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Tribal Party while BJP has 72 seats in the 200-member Assembly.

As many as 30 Congress MLAs and some independent legislators who are in touch with Sachin Pilot have pledged their support to him and have vouched to stand by whatever decision he takes, sources said.