Have written to Rajasthan CM for probe into phone-tapping allegations against Ashok Gehlot: BJP leader Rajendra Rathore

Senior Rajasthan BJP leader Rajendra Rathore has demanded an inquiry into “phone tapping” allegations levelled by Lokesh Sharma, ex-OSD to former CM Ashok Gehlot, saying that he had written a letter to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on the issue and “names of all those involved should be revealed”.
Rathore, a former leader of opposition, referred to the phone-tapping allegations levelled against Gehlot by Sharma at a press conference earlier this week.
“Former CM Ashok Gehlot’s ex-OSD (Officer on Special Duty) whom he (Ashok Gehlot) considered a trustworthy man and who stayed with him always like a shadow, that person opened about him and said that telephones were put on surveillance, even tapped and several scams were committed. Then Gehlot Sahab saying who is Lokesh Sharma is ridiculous,” Rathore said.
He said Lokesh Sharma has thousands of photographs with Gehlot and has in the past given statements in favour of the former Chief Minister also. “Today Gehlot Sahab is keeping a distance. I have written to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma that there should be a probe, those who did it on the signals of the then Chief Minister in violation of Telegraph Act 1955, they should be exposed wherever they are,” he said.
“Such people staying in government is matter of worry. Such deeds damage democracy, it is a challenge for all of us,” Rathore added
Sharma alleged on Wednesday that the purported audio clip of a phone conversation, involving Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and certain Congress figures discussing the ousting of the state’s Congress government in 2020, was provided to him by Gehlot.
Sharma also alleged that Gehlot used to tap the phones of rebel Congress leaders, including Sachin Pilot. He claimed that the audio clips of rebel Congress leaders and their phone calls, provided to the news organizations, were given to him by the former Rajasthan chief minster.
“Till today, I kept telling everyone that I received those audio clips from social media. But this is not the truth. On July 16, 2020, some audio clips went viral via the media because I shared them with the media using my phone number. In those audios, a conspiracy was being made to topple the government by poaching MLAs,” Sharma said in his press conference.
Responding to Sharma’s allegations, Rajasthan Congress leader Swarnim Chaturvedi had said that he (Sharma) is in touch with BJP leaders and “acting on their instructions.”
Gehlot government had faced a revolt in 2020 by party leader Sachin Pilot and MLAs loyal to him. The Gehlot government had survived the crisis.
Sharma had alleged in his press conference that the then Rajasthan Chief Minister wanted to portary BJP’s hand behind “toppling” attempts in Rajasthan.
Earlier in December, Lokesh Sharma claimed that the Congress government in the state was monitoring the movements of fellow party leaders and this was the reason, Gehlot was able to save his government during the 2020 political crisis in Rajasthan.
On the relatively low voter turnout in the second phase elections on Friday, Rathore said that it was due to the absence of voters who supported the Congress.
“In the 2019 polls also Congress had announced that it will win more seats than BJP but the claims came out to be wrong. This time also Congress is trying to create such a narrative but on June 4 results will be announced and BJP will accomplish ‘Mission 25’. Congress candidates tried to evade the polls and many candidates took back their candidature. Congress workers did not come out of their homes. Those who used to vote in favour of Congress kept sitting in their homes. The low voter turnout is due to the absence of Congress voters. BJP supporters have voted in favour of PM Modi,” he said.
The polling in second phase in Rajasthan was held in Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota, and Jhalawar-Baran.
Rajasthan recorded 65.03 per cent voting in the second phase on Friday.
BJP won all 25 parliamentary seats in Rajasthan in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. In 2019 polls, BJP bagged 24 seats and one seat was one by Rashtriya Loktantrik Party