The day Vijay Rupani government in Gujarat completed one year, the political temperature had reached its peaks.
The day saw 44 Congress legislators who were stationed in Bengaluru for almost a week to curb any “poaching” by ruling BJP before August 8 Rajya Sabha polls, flew back in to the state early morning of Raksha bandhan. Most of these legislators were then taken straight under police escort to a resort at Anand, about 75 km from here. The legislators are learnt to be celebrating the festival of rakhi at this Nijanand resort of Anand, the stronghold of Congress party chief in Gujarat Bharatsinh Solanki.
These Congress legislators were moved to a resort in Bengaluru on night of July 28 amidst high drama after six of the 57 Congress legislators in 182-seat Gujarat Assembly quit party, with three of them joining BJP. One of the turncoat legislator, Balwantsinh Rajput, was in fact made third candidate of BJP, other than Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani.
This put the plans of Congress to see its leader Ahmed Patel get elected to one of the three Upper House seats of the Parliament from Gujarat for a fifth term in a tizzy. Patel requires support of 45 legislators. Though he had earlier expressed confidence of getting support of two NCP legislators, one JD(U) legislator and one of rebel BJP legislator Nalin Kotadia, has been struggling to keep the flock together since.
What had begun worries for Congress was that at least 11 of their legislators had apparently resorted to cross-voting in last Presidential polls and then exit of senior leader Shankarsinh Vaghela from the party.
Even today, many in Congress believe that it is a foregone conclusion that seven legislators from Vaghela’s faction who did not go to Bengaluru with the other 44, would vote against Ahmed Patel. Though Vaghela in public posture has been claiming that his vote is “reserved” for Patel, many find it difficult to take his word at face value. Even NCP has changed tack, with its leader Praful Patel stating that their two legislators would take a final call on voting only on August 8.
The group of 44 legislators, who are at a resort near Anand, are expected to ply down to Gandhinagar on August 8 to cast their vote for crucial Rajya Sabha polls.
On the other hand BJP boss, Amit Shah, has been holding series of meetings since Sunday night, to make it even more difficult for Ahmed Patel this time.
Published 07 August 2017, 04:26 IST