Gehlot advises rebel Cong MLAs to return toppling money to BJP

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) distributed money among Congress MLAs in the state to topple his government. Gehlot said Congress legislators who took money from BJP should return it.

The Rajasthan CM went on to say that he is worried now that the BJP is not taking money.

“Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Shekhawat conspired to topple our government. They distributed the money but are not taking it back, I am worried about why they are not taking the money,” he said at an event in Dholpur while apparently referring to the 2020 rebellion in Rajasthan Congress.

“I told our MLAs if you have taken money from them Rs 10 crore, Rs 20 crore and have spent a part of it. I will get the money spent from AICC. But return money to Amit Shah, don’t keep their money. I told our MLAs that we forgive your mistakes,” he added.

Gehlot also claimed he survived the 2020-revolt by some Congress MLAs because BJP leaders Vasundhara Raje and Kailash Meghwal refused to support a conspiracy to topple an elected government through money power.

He further said that as the state party chief, even he did not support the toppling of the BJP government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as it was unfair, in the same manner, Raje and Meghwal said that there is no tradition in Rajasthan to topple an elected government.

In July 2020, Sachin Pilot with several Congress MLAs revolted against Gehlot. The month-long crisis ended after the intervention of the party’s high command. Pilot was then removed as the deputy chief minister and state Congress president.