Did nothing against party, say sacked Cong ministers

Sacked from the Rajasthan Cabinet for backing dissident leader Sachin Pilot, Congress MLAs Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena insisted Tuesday that they had done nothing wrong.

They, along with Pilot, were removed as cabinet ministers for their alleged involvement in the 'conspiracy to topple' the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state.

Vishvendra Singh, who is an MLA from Deeg-Kumher, was the state tourism minister while Meena held the portfolio of the food and civil supplies minister.

"Where did we make any statement against the party? We wanted to draw the attention of the party high-command to the fact that we were not able to deliver on things promised in the manifesto for which the public elected us," Vishvendra Singh said in a video message.

He asked what mistake they three committed that they were sacked from the Cabinet.

"I have no concern for being sacked as a minister. Rather, I will be able to serve people better but what reply the chief minister has for people who elected us and the party," he said.

Ramesh Meena claimed he worked with honesty as a minister and his department led in performance.

"Our department was top in performance. Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and the prime minister appreciated that. I worked with honesty and the result is that I am sacked," he said in a video message.

"What irregularity did I do," he said.

Meena said he had some resentment and issues related to the SC/ST community which he had raised on the party forum.

Two other MLAs loyal to Pilot--Mukesh Bhakar and Ramniwas Gawriya--also reacted sharply to the development.

Bhakar, who was removed from the post of the state Youth Congress president, said he became the chief of the body after winning its elections.

'Who is Ashok Gehlot to remove me,' he said in a tweet.

Gawriya tweeted that the youth led by 'Rajasthan's Pilot' will end the 'suppression of Jadugar'.

Gehlot, whose father was a magician, is referred to as 'Jadugar'.