Congress alleged that the BJP government in Haryana deliberately made the Rajasthan police team wait so that Sachin Pilot and his loyalist MLAs inside the resort in Manesar could move out.
The Special Operation Group of Rajasthan Police had to return empty handed from Manesar resort where dissident Sachin Pilot-led dissident MLAs were camping since the weekend. The Pilot camp was reportedly not present there when the police entered into the fancy hotel. The special police team had gone to meet the rebel MLAs as part of its investigation into two audio clips which allegedly indicate a plot to bring down the Congress government in Rajasthan.
The Rajasthan police team was on Friday evening stopped for some time by the Haryana police from entering the fancy hotel in Gurgaon where Pilot and his loyalosts were camping.
Television channels showed a Rajasthan police vehicle being stopped outside the Manesar hotel for nearly an hour by policemen from the BJP-ruled state.
Newly appointed Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra told ANI news agency that the BJP government deliberately made the Rajasthan police team wait so that the MLAs inside the resort could move out.
The refusal to allow the team, at least initially, to enter the hotel prompted senior Congress leaders to charge that the BJP was part of the plan to “topple” their government in Rajasthan.
“If BJP claims not being involved in Congress’ internal fight, then why BJP-led Haryana Government is extending their support and protection to MLAs inside the hotel?” AICC general secretary Avinash Pande tweeted.
AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also made the same allegation.
“Haryana Police blocking Rajasthan Police from investigating the ‘toppling game’ is naked proof of this plot,” he tweeted. He claimed that the BJP “collusion” in the “plot” has now been exposed.
One of the key persons, whose voice samples police have reached Harayana to collect, is Bhanwar Lal Sharma -- the Congress MLA allegedly heard in an audio tape discussing plans to topple Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government.
The Congress party, on Friday, demanded the immediate arrest of Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for being allegedly involved in a conspiracy to topple the Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan. The demand came after audio clips went viral on social media platforms. The clips are purportedly of a telephonic conversation between Shekhawat, BJP leader Sanjay Jain and rebel Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma.
The audio clips had come into circulation on the same day that sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and his loyalist MLAs, who are caught in a power tussle with chief minister Ashok Gehlot, moved the Rajasthan High Court challenging the anti-defection law.
But the FIR registered by the Special Operations Group does not identify one “Gajendra Singh” as any minister.
(With PTI Inputs)