Pilot, 19 other Rajasthan MLAs skip Congress Legislature Party meeting

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 13 (ANI): Twenty MLAs, including Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, did not attend the Congress Legislature Party meeting held at the residence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday amid the political crisis in the state, sources said.
Apart from Pilot, Ved Solanki, Rakesh Parik, Murari Lal Meena, JR Khatana, Indraj Gurjar, Gajendra Singh Shaktavat, Hareesh Meena, Deependra Singh Shekhawat, Bhanwar Lal Sharma, Gajraj Khatana, Vijedra Ola, Hemaram Choudhary, PR Meena, Ramesh Meena, Vishvendra Singh, Mukesh Bhakar, Suresh Modi, Virendra Choudhary and Amar Singh Jatav were not present at the meeting.
Virendra Choudhary, however, met Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande and party leaders Randeep Surjewala and Ajay Maken in the evening.
Sources close to Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot have said that the government headed by Ashok Gehlot does not have the numbers claimed by them.
They have also said that the Chief Minister's back garden is not the place to prove the majority and it is done in the assembly.
The sources close to Pilot said if the Chief Minister has the numbers as claimed then why not do a headcount and take the MLAs to state Governer instead of moving them to a hotel.
They also said that he is not joining the BJP.
Gehlot, party leaders and MLAs flashed a victory sign after the CLP meeting, apparently expressing confidence that they have the requisite majority in the Assembly.
Sources said over 90 MLAs were present at the meeting.
The MLAs present at the meeting later left the chief minister's residence in buses.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala had said that if anyone in the party is upset, they should discuss the matter in the party to find a solution.
"On behalf of Congress leadership including Soniaji and Rahulji, I convey that doors of Congress party are always open for Sachinjii or any member," he said.
The CLP unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Gehlot-led government and accusing the BJP of destabilising the government by indulging in horse-trading of MLAs.
The CLP also condemned all "undemocratic" acts to weaken Congress party and its government and demanded action against any Congress office-bearer involved in anti-party activities.
The crisis in Rajasthan Congress has intensified over the past few days with the differences between Gehlot and Pilot coming out in the open.
Gehlot has accused the BJP of trying to destabilise the state government by trying to poach MLAs. Pilot is learnt to be in Delhi. (ANI)