Sachin Pilot, 18 rebel MLAs issued notices; asked to respond

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with New Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasara in Jaipur. Pic/PTI

Rajasthan Speaker has issued notices to Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebel Congress MLAs after the party sought their disqualification from the state assembly.

Sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and the other MLAs were asked to respond to the notices by Friday. The notices were issued on Tuesday. The MLAs had defied a whip and did not attend its legislature party meetings held on Monday and Tuesday. "Notices have been issued to 19 rebel MLAs, including Pilot, yesterday," Speaker C P Joshi told PTI to Wednesday.

Sources said the notices were sent after the chief whip of the Congress in Rajasthan Assembly, Mahesh Joshi, wrote to the Speaker, seeking proceedings against the rebel MLAs in accordance with the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. The Congress also cited past Supreme Court rulings to seek their disqualification. Among those sent notices are Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena, who were sacked along with Pilot from the state cabinet.

Cong district, block committees dissolved

The Congress on Wednesday dissolved all its district and block committees in Rajasthan in a bid to revamp the state unit of the party. Announcing the decision, AICC general secretary in-charge for the Rajasthan Congress, Avinash Pande said new committees will be formed soon.

Sources said the decision has come in the wake of Sachin Pilot's sacking as the deputy chief minister and the state Congress chief. The move is considered a step forward in removing all Pilot's men holding party positions at the grassroots level.

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