Gujarat Cong huddles MLAs in Rajasthan resort ahead of RS polls

Following the resignation of three of its MLAs days ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls, the Congress on Sunday (June 7) moved 24 legislators to a resort in Rajasthan, fearing poaching by the BJP.

The party MLAs have been lodged in Wild Winds resorts at Sirohi on Gujarat-Rajasthan border near Ambaji in a bid to insulate party’s interest ahead of the polls for the Upper House seats, a Congress leader told PTI.

Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda said the MLAs have been assembled at the resort to discuss and fix the party’s strategy ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections and ensure the victory of party’s candidates.

The party leadership has also lampooned the alleged attempts of the saffron party to poach the Congress’ legislators.

“It is surprising that despite a country-wide pandemic crisis, the BJP has resorted to unethical tactics like intimidating, buying and influencing public representatives in Gujarat. So, we brought our party representatives here to discuss future plans,” he said.

MLAs from Gujarat had begun arriving at the resort on Saturday night and continued to reach here till late Sunday night. Sources said around two dozen MLAs have so far been brought to the resort from Gujarat.

The BJP’s Sirohi unit, meanwhile, has lodged a complaint with the police against the resort’s owner accusing him of violating the anti-COVID guidelines.

BJP’s Sirohi unit chief Narayan Purohit said the state government has kept these MLAs in the resort in violation of the protocol, laid out amid the COVID- 19 pandemic and accused the government for misusing power for political gains.

The Congress has 65 MLAs in Gujarat, while the BJP has 103 members in the 182-member Assembly. A candidate needs 34 votes to win the Rajya Sabha elections.

(With inputs from agencies)