MLAs from Ashok Gehlot camp shifted to Jaisalmer from Jaipur

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government crisis saga continues to take new turns with each passing day. On Friday, the MLAs – supposedly backing Ashok Gehlot – have been shifted to Jaisalmer from Jaipur. They have been staying at a five-star hotel for the past 18 days. They were taken to Jaisalmer in three special charter flights. The MLAs will stay in Jaisalmer’s Suryagarh until the assembly session begins on August 14.

The move has come a day after Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that the rates for horse trading of MLAs have gone up after the announcement of state assembly session dates. He said that while the MLAs were being offered from Rs 10 crore to Rs 25 crore, they are now being offered any price they want for switching loyalty.

Gehlot had not ruled out the possibility of a floor test to prove the majority status of the current government in the assembly. Gehlot has claimed to have support of at least 102 MLAs. It seems the government doesn’t want to take any chances, so has shifted the MLAs to a distant location.

According to preliminary reports, there were 38 MLAs in one of the three flights, 10 were in the second and 7 in third. A total of 97 MLAs will be kept in Jaisalmer until the start of the assembly session. A few ministers will stay in Jaipur and look after the administrative works.

The hotel where the MLAs are staying has been turned into a fortress. Heavy security arrangements