One more Cong MLA quits Guj assembly, tally now 5
RAJYA SABHA POLLS Ruling BJP confident of winning all 3 seats in upcoming elections
GANDHINAGAR: Another Congress MLA in Gujarat has resigned ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls in the state, taking the tally of legislators who have quit the party to five.
Gujarat assembly speaker Rajendra Trivedi informed the House on Monday that five Congress MLAS have resigned and he has accepted their resignations.
The five are Pravin Maru from Gadhada, Pradyumansinh Jadeja from Abdasa, Soma Koli Patel from Limbdi, J V Kakadia from Dhari and Mangal Gavit from Dang, the Speaker said.
Earlier, on Sunday, four Congress MLAS in Gujarat tendered their resignations to Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi, prompting the opposition party to shift at least 24 legislators to Jaipur on Sunday.
While the Congress said not a s i ngl e “honest” MLA has resigned, state Bharatiya Janata Party president Jitu Vaghani said if the four legislators have indeed quit, the party will win three seats in the RS elections.
Later, the Congress shifted around two dozen of its MLAS to Jaipur fearing poaching.
These moves come as Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi confirmed on Sunday that four Congress MLAS had tendered their resignations on Saturday, all of which had been accepted.
“Four Congress MLAS tendered their resignation to me on Saturday, and I will announce their names in the Assembly tomorrow,” the speaker told PTI.
Vaghani said he was informed about the development by the speaker. “Trivedi said that the names of the MLAS who have resigned will be announced in the Assembly on Monday which is in session. MLAS of the Congress have resigned it seems. It means the BJP is winning three seats (in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election),” Vaghani told reporters.
He said the Congress can withdraw its candidates form the RS election fray till Monday.
BJP minister in the state, Kunvarji Bavaliya, claimedthat several Congress MLAS who are not happy with their party are in touch with the BJP. He said several such MLAS are likely to join the ruling party in coming days.
“After the announcement of the Rajya Sabha election, several Congress MLAS who have been in touch with us say they are not happy. Even the MLAS whom the Congress high command could not contact (for shifting them outside Gujarat) are also preparing to join the BJP,” he said.
In a tweet in Gujarati, Congress leader Paresh Dhanani said not a single “honest” Congress MLAS has resigned so far.
With resignation of four MLAS, the strength of the Congress party in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly has come down to 69 from 73.
The Congress had on Saturday shifted its 14 MLAS to Jaipur fearing horse-trading by ruling BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.
The BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin for the RS election.
Given i t s number i n t he Assembly, the ruling party can only win two seats unless it manages cross-voting from the opposition camp or ensure defection of Congress MLAS to win the third seat.