Bengaluru: As many as 42 Gujarat MLAs who have been staying in a plush resort here over the last one week, are likely to start returning to their home state on Monday in two batches – the first batch of 10 legislators by an early morning flight while the remaining will be flown on the same day these MLAs are scheduled to vote in the Rajya Sabha polls for three seats, on Tuesday.
Speaking to DC, a senior leader disclosed that this was just a tentative tour programme and was not confirmed yet. “A clear picture will only emerge once energy minister D.K. Shivakumar who is overseeing their stay discloses his next move. He has not said anything as of now, so it is difficult to confirm yet. However, the Gujarat Congress has booked a plush resort in Anand - a district near Ahmedabad - for their stay on Monday in case the party decides to take them away at the last minute.”
The source added that the first batch of 10 legislators are likely to land in Ahmedabad in the wee hours of Monday (4:30 am). The Gujarat Congress had sent its legislators to Bengaluru on July 29 to fend off what it called poaching efforts by the BJP. This happened after six of their legislators quit the party last month - a plan allegedly scripted by its former leader Shankersinh Vaghela, who, the party says, is out to draw blood after he was not projected as its Chief Ministerial candidate.
The RS polls are crucial for Ahmed Patel - the political secretary of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. A loss for Mr Patel would weaken party worker's morale ahead of the Gujarat elections in December. BJP chief Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani too are fighting the polls and are expected to win comfortably.
Over the last week, as the MLAs remained holed up in the resort, the Congress countered charges that they were on a vacation while the state was hit by severe floods.
MLAs won’t go to Delhi: Gohil
Rebutting media reports that the Gujarat Congress MLAs would first be flown to Delhi to meet AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, AICC spokesperson and Gujarat legislator, Shaktisinh Gohil affirmed that they would be returning to Gujarat “directly” but refused to divulge further details. "Let me assure you one thing, what we have decided is that all of us (42 MLAs) will fly to Gujarat, not Delhi,” he declared.
Mr Gohil charged that it was the BJP, which was spreading rumours that the Congress MLAs would first be flown to the national capital to meet Mrs Gandhi, which was not true.
Laughing at a question on NOTA, he wondered why any MLA would use the NOTA option in the Rajya Sabha poll to defeat Mr Patel, when they can easily cross-vote? The AICC spokesperson reiterated that all Congress MLAs were united and would vote for Mr Patel in the August 8 election.
