Cong accuses BJP of horse-trading, parades Guj MLAs

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Jul 31 2017, DH News: The Congress on Sunday paraded its Gujarat lawmakers before the media, claiming that it has sufficient numbers to ensure the election of its leader Ahmed Patel to the Rajya Sabha.

This was an effort to ending speculations on internal bickering among the Gujarat MLAs currently staying in a resort near Bengaluru.

AICC spokesperson and party MLA from Gujarat Shakthisinh Gohil told reporters that all the MLAs are living like a family and that there is no bickering among the them. “Democracy is passing through trying times. I request the media to save democracy. You (media) can ask anything you want to any of the MLAs...” he said at a press conference held at the resort.

Gohil was reacting to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s charges that Congress MLAs are quitting the party due to internal problems and hence, the party has kept majority of its MLAs at the resort. Gohil claimed that 44 MLAs were present at the conference.

The Congress has kept its legislators at the resort for the last two days, fearing poaching by the BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled on August 8. Of the 57 Congress MLAs in Gujarat, six have already resigned. The BJP in Gujarat, which can win two seats comfortably, has fielded a third candidate. Victory of BJP’s third candidate is possible if the Congress legislators defect and vote in favour of the saffron party in the election. Congress candidate Ahmed Patel is the political secretary to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi.

“The point is the BJP does not have any number (to win the third seat). The Congress has 57 legislators. The support of 44 is enough to win the seat. Therefore, the BJP cannot even dream of winning the third seat,” said Gohil.

“Besides, three other MLAs, two from the NCP and one from the JD(U), are with us. Many of those who have defected to the BJP are also in touch with us,” Gohil said, and denied reports that some Congress MLAs are insisting that they be allowed to return to Gujarat to respond to the call for assistance in their flood-affected constituencies.

The Congress MLAs attended to the woes of the affected people when it was actually flooding. “There are no floods now... Our MLAs will resume work in their constituencies once they return to Gujarat,” he said.

He accused BJP president Amit Shah of trying to bribe the Congress MLAs by offering Rs 15 crore each.

When the MLAs refused to yield, the ruling BJP tried to intimidate them.

“Since Karnataka has a Congress government, we have come here to ensure safety of the MLAs...Where else can we go?” he added.