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Gehlot wins trust vote

JAIPUR: The newly-installed Congress-led Government in Rajasthan won the vote of confidence on the floor of the State Assembly on Saturday after a marathon five-hour-long debate, at the end of which the Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party and a majority of Independent MLAs pledged their trust in the Council of Ministers while participating in the voice vote.

With 96 members in its fold, the ruling Congress received the support of six BSP MLAs and 11 Independents, fetching a comfortable majority in the 200-member House.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot moved the motion seeking a vote on the confidence of the Assembly in his Government after the customary address of Governor S. K. Singh.

During the debate on the motion, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party members trooped into the well of the House twice alleging denial of opportunity to speak up and protesting against repeated interruptions and sarcastic remarks made by the ruling party members.

While the Congress MLAs such as Jitendra Singh, Param Navdeep and Pratap Singh Khachariawas and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal supported the motion, the BJP members charged that the Congress had received a “truncated mandate” from the people and was trying to cobble up majority by enticing Independents.

BJP MLAs and former Ministers Gulab Chand Kataria, Rajendra Rathore and Digambar Singh claimed that the previous BJP regime had carried out immense development of the State through its excellent financial management and elaborate plans and implemented all Central schemes in earnest.

The CPI (M) – which has three MLAs – also opposed the motion, saying the inclusion of Independents in the State Cabinet and their appointments elsewhere amounted to an “insult to the people’s mandate”. Amra Ram of the party said the BJP was equally guilty of pursuing an anti-people agenda during its rule.

Replying to the debate, Mr. Gehlot launched a scathing attack on former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Vasundhara Raje, accusing her of ruling the State for five years with a “feudal, arrogant and insensitive mind-set”.

“Refusal to respond to people’s grievances and not showing any sympathy to toiling masses was bound to backfire on the State Government,” he said.

Mr. Gehlot accused the BJP of trying to exploit the Mumbai terror attacks for electoral advantage and said the party’s “misrule” was reflected in Ms. Raje’s delayed response to the Gujjar agitation and the Chamunda temple tragedy in Jodhpur that claimed 224 lives.

While assuring the House that his government would not be vindictive against anyone, Mr. Gehlot said “the wrongdoings during the BJP rule” would be looked into. He said he would work for restoring social harmony in the State which had been shattered by the BJP-led government by pitting various castes against each other.

Earlier, the BJP members boycotted the Governor’s address in the House and staged a walkout while accusing him of deliberately delaying the clearance of a Bill providing for reservation to Gujjars and newly-created economically backward classes. The State Assembly had passed the Bill during the BJP regime.

The House also condoled the death of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, CPI (M) leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet, former State Minister Taiyab Hussain and victims of the Mumbai terror strikes and Chamunda temple tragedy.

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Gehlot wins trust vote

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