Rajasthan HC dismisses pleas against merger of Congress, BSP MLAs

The Rajasthan High Court on Monday dismissed petitions filed by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and BJP leader Madan Dilawar against the merger of six BSP MLAs in the State with the Congress party.

A single-judge bench of the High Court asked the Assembly Speaker to take a decision on the matter.

Earlier, a division bench of the Rajasthan High Court had directed that the single-judge bench hearing the application seeking a stay on the merger to decide on the matter.

The single-judge bench court had, on July 30, heard the application seeking a stay on the order announcing the merger and issued notices to the Speaker, Secretary of the Legislative Assembly and six BSP MLAs in the State asking them to file their reply.

The High Court, in a relief for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led government, which was reeling under a crisis at the time, had earlier dismissed Dilawar's previous plea seeking directions to quash the merger.

Trouble for the Rajasthan Congress mounted after simmering differences between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot came out in the open. However, the two senior Congress leaders appear to have resolved their differences after intervention of senior leaders.

The Congress had also accused the BJP of attempting to topple the Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan. The BJP had denied the charge.

( With inputs from ANI )