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Senior Congress leaders Bharatsinh Solanki, Arjun Modhwadia, Ahmed Patel at Ahmedabad airport during arrival of the party's MLAs from Karnataka on Monday, ahead of Rajya Sabha elections.[/caption]
Ahmedabad, August 7 (IANS): Forty-four Congress MLAs from Gujarat, who were flown to Karnataka to prevent “poaching” by the BJP ahead of Tuesday’s Rajya Sabha elections, returned to the state on Monday, officials said.
The MLAs were moved to a private resort near Bengaluru on July 29 following the resignation of six Congress legislators.
Of the 57 party legislators in the 182-member Gujarat assembly, the six quit the party on July 26 and three of them joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on July 28. Of the BJP’s remaining 51 MLAs, seven did not join those who came to Bengaluru.The 44 MLAs are being lodged at the Nijanand Resort near Anand. Their family members will visit the resort for the Raksha Bandhan festival on Monday.
On Tuesday, the legislators will directly go to state capital Gandhinagar to vote for the party’s Rajya Sabha nominee Ahmed Patel.
Patel, political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, is seeking a fifth consecutive term.
Karnataka Minister D.K. Shivakumar was at the airport when the Congress legislatorstook a budget carrier after a week-long stay at a private resort near here.
“As all of us are united. The BJP cannot threaten any of our MLAs. Horse trading is not possible with those who are with us,” party’s lawmaker Shaktisinh Gohil told reporters outside the airport before leaving for Ahmedabad.
During the legislators’ stay in the Eagleton Golf Resort at Bidadi, about 40 km from Bengaluru, the Income Tax Department raided a deluxe suite where Shivakumar was staying as their host, in connection with the alleged tax evasion and amassing of wealth or assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The officials did not raid the Gujarat MLAs but whisked away Shivakumar to his bungalow in the city for questioning him following the seizure of documents, cash, jewellery and property records made in his house.
Searches and seizures were also conducted at the Energy Minister’s house at Kanakapura and his rented apartment in New Delhi, at the residences of his brother D.K. Suresh at Ramanagara in the adjacent Bengaluru Rural district, and his relatives and friends at Mysuru and Hassan in the state till August 6.
I will win Rajya Sabha battle: Ahmed Patel
Gujarat: Alleging that he was being targeted by the BJP, veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Monday expressed confidence that he will win Tuesday’s Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat.
In a rare appearance before the media, Patel, political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, said: “Besides the 44 legislators (who were flown to Bengaluru), we have the support of Janata Dal-United, Nationalist Congress Party and (rebel leader) Shankersinh Vaghela.
“I have spoken to Sharad Pawarji and he has promised all help to the Congress. They have even issued a whip. As for Vaghela, he has himself promised that he will vote for me and I believe he will keep his word,” he said.
Asked about allegations of surveillance on him and Congress MLAs by the ruling BJP, he said: “I don’t know why I am targeted like this. This is example of a banana republic. “I have full confidence in my victory tomorrow despite the BJP’s attempts and the numbers will surprise everyone,” Patel said at a private resort near Anand where the 44 MLAs are lodged
Patel needs 45 first preference votes in a House of 176 MLAs out of total 182. Six Congress MLAs have resigned. He counts the 44 legislators, two of the NCP and the lone Janata Dal-United to see him through. Vaghela, who had resigned as leader of the opposition last month, and six other MLAs close to him were not taken to Bengaluru and neither have they resigned.
