Sword of cross-voting hangs over Gujarat Cong in RS polls

AHMED PATEL’S REELECTION MAY FACE A ROADBLOCK AS 11 CONG MLAS CROSSVOTED IN FAVOUR OF NDA’S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE KOVIND

The Congress in Gujarat seems to be caught in a catch-22 situation ahead of the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls after suffering back-to-back blows with the resignation of party veteran Shankersinh Vaghela and cross-voting in presidential polls.

The party needs at least 47 of its 57 MLAs to re-elect its lone candidate from Gujarat, Ahmed Patel. But the election of the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi this time may hit a roadblock, given that 11 Congress MLAs cross-voted in favour of NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind on July 17.

Party insiders feel the possibility of another cross-voting when Patel will seek his sixth consecutive election to the Rajya Sabha cannot be ruled out as at least 10 MLAs are staunch supporters of Kapadvanj MLA Vaghela. According to sources, these 10 MLAs may follow in the footsteps of Vaghela in the near future.

“The state leaders have a fair idea as to who all have indulged in cross-voting (in the presidential election). But the party is in a catch-22 situation as it can neither wait nor throw out the dissidents,” said a senior party leader.

Though the Congress directed its workers and MLAs to stay away from a function to celebrate Vaghela’s 77th birthday on July 21, two MLAs attended it. A few others had a closed door meeting with him just before he reached the venue in Gandhinagar and announced his disassociation from the party.

As Vaghela has said he will not resign as an MLA before the RS polls, the party seems to be treading with extreme caution, which was evident from the reaction of Gujarat chief Bharatsinh Solanki to the cross-voting. “The matter will be discussed with the high command before taking any step,” he said. If the dissidents come out in the open before the poll, Congress will be banking on three MLAs from other parties, including two from its ally Nationalist Congress Party and one from Janata Dal(United).