Audio Clips Of Pilot's Camp As Proof Of 'Horse Trading Of MLAs' Leaked; Congress Suspends 2 Rebel MLAs

Congress suspends Bhanwar Lal Sharma after he was allegedly heard on a tape discussing with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over how to topple the Rajasthan government. The other rebel MLA suspended by the party is Vishvendra Singh.

File Photo: Getty Images

Rajasthan Politics: Amid the political crisis in Rajasthan, the Congress on Thursday released three audio clips purporting to be of "horse-trading" discussions, which it said, were being held between Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and an MLA of Sachin Pilot's camp, who were coordinating via a Jaipur resident. ALSO READ|Rajasthan HC To Hear Sachin Pilot's Plea Against Disqualification At 1 PM; It's Harish Salve vs Abhishek Singhvi The authenticity of the audio clips could not be verified by ABP news, however, reports suggest that the recorded conversation was between MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Union minister and Rajasthan BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. What is in the tapes? Reports have said Shekhawat was in touch with Bhanwar Lal Sharma through a middleman identified as Sanjay Jain. In the leaked audio clips, Sharma is purportedly heard saying the rebel camp will soon gather 30 MLAs in their support. Another person is heard saying the government will be brought to its knees very soon. Union minister Shekhawat is purportedly heard saying it would take another 8-10 days and the rebel MLAs should stay at the hotel for this period as more MLAs will be joining the Pilot camp. One person is also heard saying, “Our men in Delhi have received the money. The first installment has reached them.” As the audio clips started doing the rounds on social media, MLA Bhawar Lal posted a tweet saying, “Fake audio clips have been released in my name. It is not my voice in these audio clips. I have not spoken to any leader. This is a ploy to malign my name by releasing fake audios.”

'' मेरे नाम से फ़र्ज़ी ऑडियो जारी किया गया है, रेकोर्डिंग ऑडियो में मेरी आवाज़ नहीं है, मैंने किसी भी नेता से नहीं की बात, मुझे बदनाम करने के लिए जारी किया गया है ऑडियो '' @ANI @1stIndiaNews @zeerajasthan_ @News18Rajasthan @ndtv @aajtak @ABPNews @CNNnews18 @yogesh2727sh1

— Pt. Bhanwar Lal Sharma (@ptbhanwarlal) July 16, 2020

Rajasthan Crisis: Listen to audio tapes allegedly of Congress MLA and BJP

Congress suspends MLAs heard in the audio tapes

 A day after tapes surfaced on social media the Congress on Friday suspended two rebel MLAs, including the one whose voice is heard on the tape, from the party’s primary membership. Addressing a press conference today, chief party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “Yesterday, shocking tapes were aired by the media in which Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, BJP leader Sanjay Jain, and Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma spoke about bribing MLAs and bringing down the Rajasthan government”.

Congress issues statement on the suspension of MLAs Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh from the primary membership of the party. Show cause notices issued to them to "explain their conduct in the conspiracy to topple Congress govt in Rajasthan." pic.twitter.com/oZ3YNcZqnX

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said a warrant should be issued against Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, for his involvement in horse-trading of MLAs. In the latest development, the Special Operations Group (SOG), which is probing the case, has registered an FIR against the Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. "Sachin Pilot should come forward and make his stand public on the allegations of providing MLAs' list to BJP," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala. A day after Sachin Pilot was removed as the PCC chief and Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot accused him of being involved in horse-trading with the BJP to topple his government.