Jaipur, Aug 30 (IANS) Nagaur MP and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) convenor Hanuman Beniwal has strongly countered former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s allegations, who said that he (Beniwal) attempted to topple the Congress government.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Beniwal dismissed Gehlot’s claims as baseless and said that the Manesar episode was purely the result of the Congress’s internal strife.

Beniwal claimed that after the assembly election results, when Sachin Pilot aspired to become the Chief Minister, he himself had sought Beniwal’s support.

“Without any condition, I assured him that all three RLP MLAs would extend support to make Pilot the Chief Minister,” he said.

He further alleged that Gehlot put personal ambition above public interest and clung to the chair, while Congress leaders remained busy in the race for the Chief Minister’s post.

The Nagaur MP reminded Gehlot that in the history of Rajasthan, his tenure would always be remembered as the period when the dreams of lakhs of hardworking youth were shattered.

“Your government became synonymous with paper leaks and corruption. You sheltered those responsible for playing with the future of unemployed youth. The officers in the CMO, your close leaders and so-called brokers all flourished under your protection,” Beniwal alleged.

Hitting out further, he said Gehlot had no moral right to blame anyone.

“You kept MLAs and ministers under house arrest in hotels and ran the government from there. During your tenure, Rajasthan ranked number one in crime and number one in paper leaks. For 15 years, you deceived the people of Rajasthan by circling around your high command,” he added.

Gehlot had earlier accused Hanuman Beniwal and Kirori Lal Meena of conspiring together to destabilise his government. He alleged that both leaders toured Rajasthan in helicopters to topple the Congress regime.

Responding sharply, Beniwal said he did not need Gehlot’s “certificate” regarding his role and reiterated that the Manesar incident was Congress’s own doing, not an opposition conspiracy.

–IANS

arc/dan