Congress suspends five Guj MLAS who resigned
RS POLLS Development dents Congress’s chances of winning two Rajya Sabha seats
GANDHINAGAR: The Congress in Gujarat on Monday suspended with immediate effect its five MLAS who resigned from the Assembly ahead of the next week’s Rajya Sabha polls.
The opposition party also suspended from the primary membership the wife of one of these MLAS after she claimed her husband quit due to infighting in the Congress for Rajya Sabha seats.
Gujarat unit president Amit Chavda has suspended all the five MLAS who have resigned ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls, state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.
These MLAS are Pravin Maru from Gadhada, Soma Koli Patel from Limbdi, Pradyumansinh Jadeja from Abdasa, J V Kakadia from Dhari and Mangal Gavit from Dang, he said.
Kalpana, the wife of JV Kakadia, was also suspended from the Congress’s primary membership for “anti-party” activities, Doshi said.
Kalpna Kakadia on Monday alleged her husband resigned due to infighting in the Congress for Rajya Sabha tickets.
These five MLAS, by resigning just ahead of the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections, have caused harm to the party, according to their suspension letter.
Four Rajya Sabha seats are falling vacant in Gujarat.
The BJP has fielded three candidates - Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin while the Congress has given tickets to senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki.
In the 182-member Assembly, the BJP has 103 seats, the Congress 73 (before resignations), while two seats belong to the
Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP), one to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and one is an Independent. Two seats are vacant due to court matters. With five resignations, the Congress strength has come down to 68.
On Monday, heated exchange of words took place between Congress MLAS and chief minister Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel as soon as the session began in the state assembly.
Congress MLAS Amit Chavda and Paresh Dhanani accused the ruling BJP of indulging in corrupt practices and being behind the resignations of the five legislators. On the MLAS submitting their letters to him, Trivedi said it is their right to resign and his duty to accept their resignations.
“What should I do if someone comes to me on his own accord? It is the right of the MLAS to resign. I only have the duty to accept their resignations,” he said.
Chavda accused Rupani of engaging in corruption and bribery, and for allegedly being behind the resignations of the five MLAS. He referred to a newspaper report to back his claim. “A newspaper claimed ₹65 crore exchanged hands at the CM bungalow. Where did the money come from?” Chavda asked.
His party colleague and Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani said “todona (breaking) virus (a pun on coronavirus) created at Kamalam (Gujarat BJP headquarters) took away five political lives.” Agitated by accusations made by Congress leaders, Deputy Chief Minister Patel demanded an apology. “Opposition leaders have made accusations against the Chief Minister and Kamalam...we can’t take this lightly... (Dhanani and Chavda) should take back their words, and say sorry,” Patel said.