Rajkot: Third BJP candidate in the August 8 Rajyasbha election on 3 Gujarat seats, Balwantsinh Rajput, today said that he has full confidence that he would win the election by defeating Congress candidate and political advisor to Sonia Gandhi Ahmed Patel.

He also said that those who were closely associated with him during his around 35 year long association with Congress were now trying to make a political issue about his oil business.

Rajput, the former whip of Congess who was first among the six party MLA’s to resign and join the saffron brigade, said he was unable to understand as to why those who were now trying to make an issue out of his business were keeping quiet about it while he was very much in the opposition party.

Notably, senior Congress leader and Abdasa MLA Shaktisinh Gohil during the parade of over 40 flocked party MLA’s in Bangaluru told newsmen on the occasion that Rajput joined the BJP as his contract of oil supply to Army and Navy was not renewed.

“I was a businessman then (while in Congress) and a businessman now (after association with the BJP),’ Rajput said.

Rajput had filed nominations with two other BJP candidates party president Amit Shah and union minister Smriti Shah on July 28 the last date of the nomination a day after resigning from Congress and joining the BJP. Looking at the seat equation in the 182 member Gujarat assembly Shah and Irani are certain to win but for Rajput’s sailing through defeating a stalwart like Patel, cross voting or at least 16 more resignations from the main opposition parties was needed.

DeshGujarat