High drama unfolded in Rajasthan on Sunday evening as a group of Congress MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reached the assembly speaker’s residence to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting which was called to decide on his successor.
The development suggested a worsening power struggle between the chief minister and Sachin Pilot who was tipped to be Gehlot’s replacement after he declared his candidature for the Congress president’s post.
One of the Gehlot-loyalist MLAs claimed more than 80 legislators, including Independents, have reached Speaker C P Joshi’s residence in buses and will submit their resignation. However, the number could not be independently verified. The Congress has 108 members in the 200-member house. It also enjoys the support of 13 Independents.