CM Gehlot behind BSP MLAs joining Cong; did so to save his post: BJP

Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia on Tuesday blamed Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the merger of BSP legislative party in the Congress, saying "he did it to save his post".

In a jolt to Mayawati, all six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs in Rajasthan defected to the ruling Congress late on Monday night, in a move that lends stability to the Gehlot government and is being called a "betrayal" by the BSP chief.

"Congress is battling with its internal crisis. There are conflicts between the chief minister and the deputy chief minister and the development shows that the CM has done this to save his post," Poonia said.

He said that Gehlot was "facing a challenge from Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and his chief ministership was under threat".

"It is not for the first time that Gehlot has taken advantage of such political move. During his earlier term also, he managed to run his government in similar manner," he told reporters here on the sidelines of a function here.

Poonia also attended several functions held here by the party to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The programmes included fruits distribution among patients in Jaipuria hospitals, plantation in Vidhyadhar nagar and tributes to former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.