Gehlot govt proves majority to win trust vote

New Delhi: The month-long political crisis in Rajasthan came to an end on a happy note on Friday as the state finally got a 'stable' leadership after Ashok Gehlot government scored an expected win in a trust vote in the state Assembly that capped weeks of turmoil over a rebel crisis that had pushed it to the verge of collapse.

The vote of confidence took place a day after Ashok Gehlot patched up with his sacked deputy Sachin Pilot, who ended his rebellion against the Chief Minister earlier this week on the intervention of party high command.

The motion of confidence moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal was passed by voice vote, an expected win after the return of the 19 dissident Congress MLAs led by Sachin Pilot to the party-fold.

After the trust vote, the house adjourned till August 21. In a House of 200, the Congress party has 107 MLAs and the support of independents and allies, while the BJP has 72 members.

Soon after winning the trust vote, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, "Winning the trust vote in the assembly is a message to the forces that are trying to destabilise elected governments in the country. Their every tactic failed in Rajasthan. It is the people's unwavering trust in us and unity of our Congress MLAs that has brought this victory."

Replying to the debate on the motion, Gehlot criticised the BJP, accusing it again of trying to bring down his government.

"I will not let the government topple at any cost even if you make all attempts. The crisis has come to an end in a beautiful manner and this has hurt the BJP," he said during the debate.

Accusing the BJP of targeting Congress governments, Gehlot said, "What was done in Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh? Elected governments are being toppled and democracy is under danger."

Intervening in the debate and reacting to the remarks by the leaders of the Opposition, Pilot described himself as the "strongest warrior" of the Congress by saying that he would protect his party at all costs.

"They (Opposition) are taking my name repeatedly. Prior to my seat being changed, I was safe and part of the government. Then I thought why our Speaker and chief whip have given me a seat here? I thought for two minutes and then saw that this is a border," he said.

"On one side is the ruling party and on the other is the Opposition. Who is sent to the border? The strongest warrior is sent," Pilot said.