Update: Congress MLAs flown to Bengaluru are now in Eagleton Gold resort

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Congress is in process to fly group of its MLAs to Congress-ruled Karnataka in an attempt to keep them intact in party for Rajya Sabha polls scheduled to take place on August 8. Some MLAs have already reached Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka. Some other are in process to fly to Bengaluru by midnight today. Some MLAs who are in no mood to continue with Congress are refusing to join the group to Bengaluru.

Congress chief whip and MLA from Danilimda area Shailesh Parmar said there are 44 MLAs who are being taken to Bengaluru. In Ahmedabad, a group of MLAs was taken to city airport by bus to board Indigo airlines flight scheduled to depart at 11.45 pm. Arjun Modhwadia Jagdish Thakor, Himmatsinh, Rohan Gupta, Naresh Rawal and other Congress leaders who are not party MLAs were also there on the airport to fly to Bengaluru.

Congress MLA Baldevsinh Thakor said there were 45 MLAs with Ahmed Patel.

At least two groups of MLAs were since last evening kept at two different locations namely Nijanand farm house near Anand and Nil City Club in Rajkot. While Anand arrangements were made by state party president Bharatsinh Solanki, the arrangements at Rajkot were made by Nil City Club owners and MLA Indranil Rajyaguru. One MLA Bholabhai Gohil had escaped the Ni City Club location somehow. Other MLAs there, all from Saurashtra region held a press conference today afternoon. Some MLAs from North Gujarat and Ahmedabad region were camping at Taj hotel near Ahmedabad airport in presence of Ahmed Patel.

Congress had strength of 57 MLAs in Gujarat Assembly. Of them Shankersinh Vaghela left the party. Shankersin’s MLA son Mahendrasinh Vaghela is strongly with his father. Chief Whip of Congress in assembly Balwantsinh Rajput who is also father-in-law of Mahendrasinh’s daughter has resigned as MLA and now he is BJP candidate for Rajya Sabha polls. MLAs Tejshreeben Patel, Prahlad Patel, Chhanabhai Chaudhary, Mansinh Chauhan and Ramsinh Parmar have also resigned as MLA. Thus Congress tally has come down to 49. Three more MLAs Raghavji Patel, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and CK Raolji are all set to resign anytime. More MLAs who may resign include Bholabhai Gohil and Amit Chaudhary.

Two NCP MLAs and one JDU MLA have declared their support to Ahmed Patel. However nothing can be said for sure till the time results are out. One MLA who was elected on now dissolved Gujarat Parivartan Party(GPP) ticket in 2012 is also likely to support Ahmed Patel’s candidature. If these four people change their mind, then Congress may face setback.

Polling for 3 seats of Rajya Sabha in Gujarat is scheduled on August 8.

DeshGujarat