Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday created ripples in political circles by claiming that a fresh operation to topple his government was about to begin.

Speaking at a Congress function through a videoconference in Jaipur, Gehlot not only talked about Rajasthan but also said the BJP was planning to pull down the Maharashtra government as well.

The chief minister had accused the BJP of a similar conspiracy a few months ago when his government was teetering on the brink but the crisis blew over as rebel deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot returned to the party fold along with his supporting MLAs.

On Saturday, Gehlot did not offer any proof but said even Union home minister Amit Shah and petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan had during the failed operation last time met some Congress MLAs.

“It was a one-hour meeting. The MLAs themselves told me. They were shocked to see Amit Shah there. He bragged about pulling down five governments and asserted that even the sixth, in Rajasthan, will be toppled. He asked the MLAs to have patience,” Gehlot said.

Arguing that the involvement of Shah in such sinister operations was shocking, he recalled how great personalities such as Sardar Patel had occupied the office of Union home minister in the past.

Gehlot is clearly not ready to delink the BJP and the central government from the Congress rebellion as he reiterated on Saturday that the conspiracy was foiled by effective political management. He said: “Ajay Maken was a witness to the entire drama. The government survived because we swiftly acted against rebels.”

Maken, who is now general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan, was also present at Saturday’s meeting. Gehlot’s fresh salvo indicates the trust deficit between the Pilot group and the state government. The allegation of a meeting of the rebels with Shah clearly indicates the plot was not restricted to party’s internal affair.

The chief minister might have raised this bogey again as the rebels were promised rehabilitation at the time of reconciliation and he is not amenable to the idea.

The BJP reacted angrily to the chief minister’s charge, saying he was disturbed because of his own inability to run the government and the party successfully.

BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria said: “Gehlot is worried about the internal frictions. Assurances were made to the rebels and they are not being fulfilled. This dissatisfaction is bound to trigger another explosion.”

BJP state president Satish Punia said: “It is unfortunate that the chief minister has taken the name of Amit Shah without providing any evidence. This is irresponsible, against political morality.”

Gehlot had repeatedly named Shah and other BJP leaders during that crisis some months ago but he has claimed for the first time that the home minister personally met Congress MLAs.