Rajasthan chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot’s claim that Vasundhara Raje, the BJP’s tallest leader in the state, had saved his government during a rebellion led by his party colleague Sachin Pilot in 2020 could spur a power tussle in the saffron party ahead of the year-end Assembly polls.

Speaking at an event in Dholpur on Sunday, Gehlot accused Union ministers Amit Shah, Gajendra Shekhawat and Dharmendra Pradhan of hatching a conspiracy to pull down his government in 2020 and credited Raje and two other BJP MLAs of having come to his rescue. Gehlot was referring to the rebellion led by his deputy Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs.

“Kailash Meghwal (BJP MLA) and Vasundharaji said that we don’t have a tradition of toppling elected governments by money power… That is why our government survived,” Gehlot said, accusing the three Union ministers led by Shah of having distributed money among the rebel Congress MLAs.

Caught off guard, Raje in a statement rubbished the accusations as an “insult” and “a conspiracy” against her.

“The chief minister’s praise for me is a major conspiracy by him… Ashok Gehlot is lying due to fear of defeat in 2023,” she said in a Sunday night statement. “He (Gehlot) has accused home minister Amit Shah, whose honesty and integrity are well known,” her statement added.

In Rajasthan’s context, Gehlot has put Raje in a tough spot as the former chief minister, who is believed to have significant clout in the state’s politics, has always been seen pushing her own agenda and firmly blocking the central BJP’s push to promote the next-generation leadership in the state.

Gehlot’s claim about Raje coming to his help during the 2020 rebellion had always been suspected by the central BJP leaders.

The claim has come at a time the central BJP was not keen to project Raje as the chief ministerial face of the party but was finding it difficult to ignore her given that a good number of party MLAs in the state are her loyalists.

“The disclosure by Gehlot can be used by the central leadership to corner Raje,” a BJP leader said.

Insiders said the party may avoid projecting anyone and take a call after the polls. Raje, however, has been firmly asserting her claim by organising events to show her strength.

One of the Union ministers who Gehlot accused of distributing money among Congress MLAS was Shekhawat, believed to be the BJP’s choice for next chief minister.

Responding to the charge, Shekhawat tweeted: “Gehlot is number one liar!”