A day before Rajya Sabha polls, 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs back in Ahmedabad

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru/Ahmedabad, Aug 07, 2017: A day before the Rajya Sabha elections, 44 Gujarat Congress legislators who were staying Bengaluru`s Eagleton Resort, have returned to their home state.

The MLAs arrived at Ahmedabad’s Kempegowda International Airport in the wee hours of August 7 amid heavy security. They are currently lodged in a resort near Ahmedabad. Congress leader Ahmed Patel will meet all MLAs at the resort this evening, informed the chief whip of Congress in Gujarat Assembly, Shailesh Parmar.

Congress lawmaker DK Suresh on Sunday told ANI, “All of them (Gujarat Congress MLAs staying in Bengaluru resort) are happy, tomorrow or day after tomorrow they may leave," further adding, "Gujarat Congress is united, MLAs want to vote Ahmed Patel and will get back seat of Congress."

The MLAs will cast their votes for upcoming Rajya Sabha polls on August 8.

"To ensure that BJP is not successful in its mission, 44 of us Congress MLAs are leaving from Gujarat for Bengaluru. To hide their failure, the saffron party is trying to make sure our MLAs resign by offering money and through police pressure," said Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar.

Earlier, six Gujarat Congress legislators, including Shankersinh Vaghela, resigned from the party to join the BJP. Congress alleged that state BJP had offered Rs 15 crore to each of its MLAs alongwith a ticket in Gujarat polls along and funds to contest the elections. Following this, the Congress shipped away the 44 MLAs to Karnatala to prevent them defecting before the Rajya Sabha polls.

Last week, the Income Tax department raided several premises owned by Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar and his family, including Bengaluru`s Eagleton Resort where the 44 legislators were staying.

Courtesy: Zeenews