Lokesh Sharma, the ex-OSD of former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has made some startling revelations in a press conference. Speaking to the media, Sharma has stated the audio messages that went viral in July 2020, regarding conversations of some politicians, were actually given to him by former CM Gehlot himself, and not collected from social media as he had claimed then.
Sharma added that he was called to the CM’s residence then and was given a pen drive. “On 16 July 2020, some audio clips went viral via the media because I shared them with the media using my phone number. In those audios, a conspiracy was being made to topple the government by poaching MLAs. I did what I was told to. His (Gehlot’s) PSO Ramniwas called me up and asked me to come to the CM House as the CM wanted to meet me. As soon as I reached him, he handed over a pen drive and a paper, which I circulated among the people through you.”
Sharma further stated that the paper he gave to the media contained references to the audio messages in the pen drive, saying that the audio was phone conversations between Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Late MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, and Sanjay Jain. He added that he was asked by former CM Gehlot himself to circulate them in the media.
“Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was made to look as the main accused in the whole issue and it was alleged that BJP along with Sachin Pilot and other MLAs are trying to topple the government. They wanted to prove that the BJP was behind all this. Which was not the case”, Sharma added.
#WATCH | Jaipur: Lokesh Sharma, OSD to former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot accuses the latter of tapping phones of his party leaders trying to 'topple' his government in the state.
— ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2024
He says, "… Till today, I kept telling everyone that I received those audio clips from social… pic.twitter.com/XCfTPh33Sq
Lokesh Sharma further stated that Sachin Pilot kept trying to tell everyone his side of the story but nobody was listening to him. So Sachin Pilot gathered all concerned leaders and tried to talk to the party high command. But as soon as Ashok Gehlot learned of this, he put all their phones on surveillance. All their phones, including Sachin Pilot’s, were being tapped, Sharma added.
Ashok Gehlot used me for his politics: Sharma
Lokesh Sharma also stated that Ashok Gehlot, who is his political mentor, used him for politics. He added that he has been grilled in the phone tapping case and his house has been raided too. He added that there was a discussion in July 2020 at former CM Gehlot’s official residence, on how to spoil the image of Gajendra Shekhawat and Sachin pilot. Lokesh Sharma has further alleged that the Gehlot govt tried to shield the accused in the paper leak case and there has been rampant corruption in the purchasing of equipments during the Covid period. He added that he is willing to share the information with the current government.
Lokesh Sharma had made similar allegations after the election defeat in December 2023
Following the fall of the Congress government in Rajasthan in the 2023 elections, Lokesh Sharma had told the media that ‘it was common knowledge’ that the phones of Sachin Pilot and his supporting leaders were tapped. Gehlot’s OSD, who was refused a ticket to contest in the state assembly elections, had said that Gehlot cheated the party’s high command and prevented accurate feedback from reaching the top.
Rajasthan phone tapping controversy of 2020
In July 2020, the phone tapping controversy had exposed the rift in the Rajasthan Congress, widening the divisions between the Sachin Pilot camp and Gehlot camp. Pilot along with 18 other MLAs had revolted against Gehlot. Soon after, some audio clips went viral in the media, which then the Gehlot camp used to claim that the BJP is trying to break Rajasthan Congress. The BJP had demanded a CBI inquiry in the matter.
In March 2021, the Delhi Police Crime Branch lodged an FIR against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Lokesh Sharma on Thursday at Tughlak Road police station. The FIR was registered on the complaint of the Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
The Gehlot government suffered a massive defeat in the 2023 assembly elections. BJP won a comfortable majority, making a first -time MLA Bhajanlal Sharma the CM of the state.
