Rajasthan: Pilot camp MLA quits, state Cong chief says will resolve issue
A Congress MLA from Barmer in Rajasthan, who is seen as close to former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, on Tuesday submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker C P Joshi.
Hemaram Choudhary, who represents Gudamalani in the Assembly, said he will give the reason once his resignation is accepted. The development is being seen as a sign of another political storm in the state Congress.
House spokesperson Lokesh Chandra Sharma said that as per information from the Assembly Secretariat, the resignation letter has been received on email and “action will be taken as per rules.”
Choudhary was among 19 MLAs, led by former Deputy CM Pilot, who had rebelled against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot last year. Discontent is said to be brewing in the Pilot camp again, as they contend that the Gehlot government has not made good on the agreement reached upon at the time of the patch-up.
Of late, Choudhary, in his sixth term as MLA, has been openly vocal against the state government and was seen as being increasingly sidelined in local politics, even as the political capital of Revenue Minister Harish Choudhary, also an MLA from Barmer (Baytoo seat), rises.
State Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra said on Tuesday evening, “Hemaram-ji is our party’s senior and respected leader. After getting to know about his resignation, I spoke to him. This is a family issue, it will be resolved soon.”
As per the MLA’s office, the letter — sent to Speaker Joshi on his email, WhatsApp, as well as through post — states: “Under rule 173 of Rajasthan Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, I am submitting my resignation, attached with this letter, from Gudamalani Assembly seat. Please accept it today itself.”
Choudhary had taken on the Gehlot government only two months ago. Speaking in the Assembly on March 13, he had raised the issue of poor roads in his constituency and asked, “What is the difference between us and them (BJP)?”
In his speech, Choudhary had alleged that there was a “Rs 2 crore to 2.5 crore scam” in construction of a road in his constituency, and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. He had claimed that no agency in the state can conduct an “impartial inquiry”.
