Rajasthan CLP meet: 16 Congress MLAs yet to reach Jaipur

With the Congress Legislative Party meeting scheduled for 10.30 AM today, 16 Congress MLAs are yet to reach Jaipur.

According to sources, these MLAs are Rakesh Paarik, Murari Lal Meena, GR Khatana, Indraj Gujjar, Gajendra Singh, Harish Meena, Dependra Singh Shekhawat, Bhanwar Lal Sharma, Vijendra Ola, PR Meena, Ramesh Meena, Vishvendra Singh, Jahida Ramnivas Gavadia, Mukesh Bhakar, Hema Ram Chaudhary and Suresh Modi.

Sources said, if they do not come to attend the meeting, then disciplinary action is likely to be taken against them as stated by Congress' Avinash Pandey yesterday and it is possible that their membership could be cancelled.

Meanwhile, Congress leader KC Venugopal is expected to reach Jaipur today.

The Congress Legislative Party has issued a whip to its MLAs to attend a meeting on Monday in Jaipur and they will face disciplinary action if the legislators absent themselves without mentioning a reason, Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande had said.

The decision to issue a whip was taken after a meeting at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence on Sunday which was attended by around 75 MLAs including ministers.

After the meeting, Pande addressed a press conference in the early hours today along with party colleague Randeep Surjewala and Ajay Maken, who had reached Jaipur late on Sunday night. The two leaders have been sent by the Congress as central observers to save the party's government in the state.

Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the State government by poaching Congress MLAs, which has been denied by the BJP.

Pilot is camping in Delhi to speak to the party leadership regarding the political turmoil in the State.

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

-ANI

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