Gandhinagar:BJP president Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and Balwantsinh Rajput, the former chief whip of Congress who joined the party yesterday filed their papers as BJP candidates for August 8 Rajyasabha election for three seats of Gujarat.

The filing of nomination by 3 BJP members for as many seat for one of which political advisor to Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel had already filed his papers, has made the contest very interesting.
Shah, an incumbent MLA of Naranpura constituency of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, will on his election make his first entry to the parliament. Irani would see her second consecutive entry in the upper house on her election.

Rajput’s contesting the poll might thwart Patel’s fifth consecutive entry to the upper house. The resignation of five MLA’s of Congress including Rajput in last 24 hours and the possibility of some more toeing the same line, has changed the otherwise easy-going like scene for Patel, who was a Rajyasabha MP for four consecutive terms since 1993.

On the occasion of fling of the papers by the 3 BJP candidates many top party leaders in the state including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Gujarat in-charge of the party Bhupendra Yadav were also present.

Yadav said that the party was not indulged in horse-trading to ensure the win of its third candidate. (Looking at the strength Shah and Irani would easily sail through).
‘We have openly appealed the votes (MLA’s) to support us for our development agenda.’ he said.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Mr Rajput, also a relative of Mr Shankersinh Vaghela, who resigned from Congress on July 21 (though not yet from the MLA seat) is likely to get support from some of his loyalists in Congress as cross voters. Some more resignations would also change the arithmetic of magic figure.

The Rajyasabha election has been necessitated owing to expiry of terms of incumbent Smriti Irani, Dilip Pandya (both BJP) and Mr Ahmed Patel.

The scrutiny of papers would be done tomorrow. The names could be withdrawn till July 31 and the counting of votes will also take place after the election on the same day ie August 8.

In 182-member Gujarat assembly, BJP along with one dissident (elected on GPP ticket Nalin Kotadia) has 122 members, Congress 52 (including Vahgela who has not resigned yet and his son Mahendrasinh and many other supporters), NCP 2 and JD-U 1.

For a win, Mr Ahmed Patel needed support of around 46 MLA’s

With the candidature of Mr Rajput the scene has become very interesting. The Congress is already feeling the heat of cross voting of its 11 MLAs in Presidential election and the subsequent resignations of five so far (the number almost certain to increase).

DeshGujarat