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Rajasthan govt asks for Assembly session on July 31

Jaipur: The Ashok Gehlot Cabinet on Saturday cleared a revised proposal to be sent to the Governor, asking that a session of the Assembly should be called on July 31, sources said.

Governor Kalraj Mishra had sought Friday clarifications on six points from the state government, after Congress MLAs held a five-hour dharna on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan pressing for a Vidhan Sabha session.

The dharna was called off, according to the Congress, after Mishra said he will abide by the Constitution but not act under any pressure.

The Governor asked Gehlot to submit again, with the clarifications, his recommendation for calling a session.

A statement from the Governor included queries on the free movement of MLAs and the reason why the session needed to be called urgently.

After a late-night sitting, the Cabinet met again at Gehlot's home on Saturday, approving the new draft.

Gehlot was expected to meet the Governor and submit the note to him, but the meeting was yet to take place till late in the day.

The Congress government, which is facing a political crisis after a rebellion by the now sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident MLAs, says it wants to hold the session so its majority can be proved.

The Governor on Friday asked the government why it wanted to call an Assembly session to prove its majority if it already has one.

Earlier on Saturday, Rajasthan Chief Minister said if necessary Congress MLAs will meet the President and hold a sit-in outside the prime minister's home to settle the crisis in the state.

According to party sources, Gehlot said this while addressing the Congress Legislature Party meeting. He also told the MLAs that they may have to stay put there longer.

Meanwhile, the Congress staged demonstrations across Rajasthan on Saturday against what it called a BJP "conspiracy to topple" its government and to press for an Assembly session.

Congress workers gathered in large numbers in Jaipur and district headquarters and raised slogans against the BJP and demanded that the governor convene a session of the Assembly. with Agency input

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