The Congress alleged that BJP was pressurising its MLAs to quit the party, and it had decided to shift them to Bengaluru in a bid to thwart further poaching attempts
All 44 Congress MLAs who have been camping in a resort in Bengaluru since last week are expected to be back in Gujarat on Sunday, two days before voting for the Rajya Sabha elections and a day before Raksha Bandhan.
Congress MLA and party's chief whip in the state Assembly Shailesh Parmar said the exact date and time of the MLAs return to Gujarat is not fixed yet, but sources said the legislators are likely to reach Ahmedabad on Sunday evening.
"The MLAs are likely to be put up at a resort or hotel until voting for the Rajya Sabha elections is over," sources said. The Congress had packed off its MLAs to Bengaluru on July 29 after resignation of six of its legislators within two days, including three who formally joined the BJP.
The Congress alleged that BJP was pressurising its MLAs to quit the party, and it had decided to shift them to Bengaluru in a bid to thwart further poaching attempts.
A total of 44 MLAs, excluding former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela, who quit the party on his 77th birthday on July 21, his son Mahendrasinh, and five others seen as close to him, have been put up at Eagleton Resort since they landed in Bengaluru.
The Congress is confident that it has managed to prevent further exodus by whisking away the MLAs. However, fears of cross-voting by some of these MLAs during Rajya Sabha polls is a very distinct possibility, say party insiders.
Coming just three months ahead of the Assembly elections, the RS polls are seen as an acid test for Congress, which has fielded senior leader and political advisor to party president Sonia Gandhi as its candidate. Besides its own 44 MLAs, the party also claims to have support of two NCP MLAs, and one MLA each from JD (U) and BJP, and believes that it has the numbers to ensure Patel's win.
BJP, on the other hand, has fielded party chief Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani, and former Congress MLA Balvantsinh Rajput as its candidates.
Alleging that law and order situation in the state is not good, the Congress party has written to the state government seeking arrangements to ensure safety of its MLAs, who are expected to return to Gujarat on Sunday.
The party's chief whip in the Assembly, Shailesh Parmar said they fear that their MLAs could be attacked or attempts made to abduct them during the Rajya Sabha elections and the Assembly session on August 8 and 9.
Speaking with DNA, Parmar said that they see a serious threat to their MLAs on their return to Gujarat, and hence they have sought adequate security arrangements for their safety.
"Arrangements should be made to ensure MLAs' safety from the time they land at Ahmedabad airport. Security should also be provided at the place they will be put up, as well as in Gandhinagar for the Rajya Sabha polling and Assembly session," Parmar wrote to Assembly speaker, state's chief secretary, DGP and chief electoral officer.
In his letter, Parmar pointed out that the attack on Congress vice- president Rahul Gandhi's car in Banaskantha on Friday showed the law and order situation in the state.
NCP DOUBLE GAME
- NCP leader Praful Patel on Sunday said his party has not decided yet about supporting any party in the RS polls.
- The party, which had a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the 2012 Assembly polls, has 2 MLAs.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Congress MLAs")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}