Rajasthan: The Former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has strongly denied allegations made by a congress MLA that he was tried many times to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in the state. Pilot said that  he was saddened but not surprised to be at the receiving end of such baseless and vexatious allegations being leveled against him,” Pilot said in a statement released Monday evening, adding that he would take legal action against legislator Giriraj Singh Malinga for the bribery accusation.

He said the allegation has been made solely to malign him and to stifle the legitimate concerns that he raised against the party leadership of the state. “This attempt further aims at defaming me and attacks my credibility. The narrative is being redirected to avoid addressing the main issue. Pilot said he will be taking appropriate and strictest possible legal action against the MLA who was made to make these accusations.

“He was sure more such concocted allegations will be thrown at me to cause aspersions on my public image. But he shall be unfettered and remain firm in my beliefs and convictions”. His statement came just hours after Malinga said he was offered money to join the BJP in talks that were held at Pilot’s residence. He claimed he subsequently alerted CM Gehlot about the conspiracy to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan.

The Congress MLA Malinga told to reporters in Jaipur that “he had a talk with Sachinji. He offered me money to join the BJP, but I refused, saying I will not join the saffron party”. He did not disclose the amount that he was allegedly offered to join the BJP party. Asked if it was between Rs 30 crore and Rs 35 crore, Malinga said he was offered the “going rate”.

The former BSP MLA from Badi, along with five other legislators of the Mayawati-led party, was inducted into the Congress in September last year. The lawmakers had handed over affidavits to state Assembly Speaker CP Joshi to merge the legislative party with the Congress.