Jaipur: Fourth session of the 16th Rajasthan Assembly began Monday with chaos, as opposition Congress MLAs stormed the House, shouting “vote chor, gaddi chhod” (vote thief, vacate the chair) against the ruling BJP.Congress members signalled confrontation well before the proceedings. Arriving in white T-shirts emblazoned with the same slogan and carrying placards, they staged a coordinated protest as the session opened at 11am. The treasury benches hit back with counter-slogans of “gaali-baj Rahul Gandhi” (foul mouthed Rahul Gandhi) and “gaali-baj Congress” (foul mouthed Congress). The House quickly descended into a war of slogans, stalling the proceedings for much of the morning.Despite the chaos, several key legislations were tabled in the House. Deputy chief minister Prem Chand Bairwa tabled the Coaching Regulation Bill committee report, which will come up for discussion on Sept 3. The Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025; the Rajasthan Coaching Centre Control and Regulation Bill, 2025; the Factories (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill; and the Rajasthan Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill were also tabled.Amid the din, Speaker Vasudev Devnani announced the vacancy of Anta Assembly seat due to the termination of BJP MLA Kanhiya Lal Meena’s membership following his conviction in a criminal case. Devnani adjourned the House until Wednesday, while Tuesday was declared a holiday. The session opened with tributes to departed leaders, including former LG Satyapal Malik and those who died in the Pahalgam attack and in the cloud bursts.Outside the House, Congress members sharpened their attack. Former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot accused BJP of consistently resorting to “vote theft” to form govts. “The entire country is now standing with Rahul Gandhi against this fraud,” Pilot said.Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully alleged that BJP manipulated not just Lok Sabha elections but also several assembly and legislative constituencies’ polls in Rajasthan. He specifically named Jaipur Rural seat, accusing the ruling BJP of winning through irregularities.“Vote theft is not limited to Bihar or Karnataka. It has been done in Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan as well,” Jully charged, demanding a nationwide investigation. “The Election Commission belongs to the nation, not the BJP,” he remarked.The BJP responded strongly. Govt chief whip Jageshwar Garg called Rahul Gandhi and Congress “habitual abusers,” claiming videos in circulation prove their record of offensive remarks against senior BJP members, including PM Narendra Modi. He claimed that Congress disrupted the parliament session and was now walking the same path in Rajasthan.
Assembly opens with uproar as Cong & BJP trade charges over ‘vote theft’ | Jaipur News
