Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls: BJP hasn't purchased any MLA, says state unit VP

Amid the resignations of Congress MLAs ahead of the Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls on June 19, the BJP state unit vice president IK Jadeja on Monday said his party had not "purchased" any opposition legislator.

A total of eight MLAs of the Congress have resigned since March, when the election for four RS seats were first declared and then postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The BJP has not purchased any MLA. None of them have joined the BJP after resigning. We cannot stop legislators from resigning. It was their own decision and the BJP should not be blamed for it," Jadeja said at a virtual press conference organised to mark the first anniversary of the second term of the Narendra Modi government.

In the wake of resignations by the MLAs, state Congress leaders had accused the BJP of indulging in "money politics and resorting to horse trading".

The Congress' strength in the 182-member House has been reduced to 65 now against 103 of the BJP.

While the Congress has fielded Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki, the BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramilaben Bara and Narhari Amin.

Jadeja said the BJP was confident of winning three of the four seats, and it was for this reason that it fielded three candidates.

To commemorate the first anniversary of the second term of the Modi government, Jadeja said the Gujarat BJP would organise virtual rallies and other events across the state through June to highlight achievements of the Centre.

The virtual rallies would be addressed by party chief JP Nadda, and Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Prakash Javadekar and Dharmendra Pradhan.

"Between June 15 and 28, BJP workers will visit booths to distribute a copy of PM Modi's letter to the countrymen," said Jadeja.