NEW DELHI: Amid signs of Congress’ ship sinking rapidly, there is a rush among its leaders to desert the outfit. A day after three Congress MLAs resigned from the party and joined the BJP in poll-bound Gujarat, two more legislators switched sides and joined the saffron party on Friday, denting the chances of Congress leader Ahmed Patel to make it to the Rajya Sabha from the state.
A third legislator also quit the Congress but did not join the BJP. Vasda MLA Chhana Chaudhry and Balasinor MLA Mansinh Chauhan are the latest Congress leaders to join the BJP. Thasra MLA Ramsinh Parmar also quit the Congress.
All of them have submitted their resignations to Speaker Ramanlal Vora. The latest tally of legislators abandoning the Congress in Gujarat stands at eight, threatening to jeopardise the election of Mr Patel, political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi, in the August 8 poll for Rajya Sabha seats.
While six Congress MLAs quit the party in the last 24 hours, former chief minister and senior leader Shankersinh Vaghela and his son, Mahendrasinh Vaghela left the party earlier.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the BJP of "using the state machinery and money power to lure away Congress MLAs for the Rajya Sabha polls”.
