Rajasthan: Former OSD Lokesh Sharma alleges ex-CM Gehlot spied on Pilot and Shekhawat, ignites political storm

Former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to ex-Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Lokesh Sharma, has set off a political firestorm with startling allegations against Gehlot. In a press conference, Sharma revealed that he was directly provided with audio clips allegedly exposing a conspiracy to topple the government, which were then circulated to the media. These revelations have reignited the phone tapping controversy that rocked Rajasthan politics in 2020, leading to significant ramifications within the state’s political landscape.

Sharma’s accusations have shed light on the internal workings of the Gehlot administration, raising questions about political manipulation and ethics within the Rajasthan Congress. The audio clips in question, circulated in July 2020, purportedly revealed conversations hinting at a plot to lure MLAs from Gehlot’s camp, implicating Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other BJP members. However, Sharma’s revelation now implicates Gehlot himself in orchestrating the dissemination of these clips, challenging the narrative that the BJP was solely responsible for the alleged conspiracy.

According to Sharma, Gehlot’s Personal Security Officer (PSO) handed him a pen drive containing the incriminating audio clips and instructed him to distribute them to the media. This revelation contradicts previous claims that Sharma obtained the clips from social media. Sharma’s statement implicates Gehlot in a strategy to frame the BJP and discredit his political opponents.

The resurgence of this controversy comes at a critical juncture, as Rajasthan has already witnessed political upheaval in recent years. The fallout from the phone tapping scandal of 2020 contributed to the downfall of the Gehlot government in the subsequent assembly elections. Moreover, Gehlot’s involvement in the paper leak case and allegations of corruption further tarnish his administration’s reputation.

In response to Sharma’s accusations, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has filed an FIR against him, following a complaint lodged by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. This development indicates the escalating legal and political ramifications of Sharma’s revelations, with potential implications for both Gehlot and his political adversaries.