GUJ MLAS TO RETURN TODAY

The 44 Congress MLAs, who were staying at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru since the last nine days, are set to leave for their home state on Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s RS election.

BENGALURU: The 44 Congress legislators from Gujarat staying at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru since the past nine days are set to leave for their home state on Monday, according to sources.

The legislators were flown to the Karnataka capital to keep them safe from alleged poaching attempts by BJP ahead of Rajya Sabha elections on August 8. “They will be flown back in two batches and will move to a resort in Anand,” said a source.

Following the resignation of six of its 57 MLAs in Gujarat, the Congress moved 44 legislators to Bengaluru on July 29. At least half-a-dozen of the remaining legislators are reportedly loyalists of Shankersinh Vaghela, a former chief minister recently expelled from the party.

Ahmed Patel, Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary, needs the support of 45 MLAs to be re-elected.

Mohansinh Rathwa, nine-time MLA from Chhota Udaipur, said he and his colleagues were grateful to the people of Karnataka. “They have been very hospitable towards us and we owe them a debt of gratitude,” he said. Rathwa said Patel's victory was a certainty. “He will sail through in the elections.”

The legislators' stay gave the Congress a chance to teach them about the party's ideology.