Cong to shift MLAs to Udaipur to avoid poaching amid RS poll tussle

Archana Sharma

Jaipur, June 2 (IANS) The Congress in Rajasthan has started shifting its MLAs to the hotel in Udaipur where Chintan Shivir was organised about a fortnight ago.

As per official sources, the Congress is feeling pressure with the fielding of media baron Subhash Chandra as the fifth candidate who is being supported by the BJP. Also, a few independents and other allies have raised issues with the party leadership."

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot himself is leading the show to ensure all remain in the nest.

What is bringing the ruling party under pressure is disgruntled MLAs of the BTP and some independents who are upset with the state government, a Congress leader said.

Further, the Bahujan Samaj Party on Wednesday wrote to Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi demanding that the six MLAs who won on the BSP party symbol but later defected to Congress, be barred from voting in the Rajya Sabha polls.

In the letter, Rajasthan BSP president Bhagwan Singh Baba said, "As a case under the anti-defection law is going on against the MLAs in the Supreme Court, these six MLAs should be barred from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections because the BSP has decided that it will not support any party or independent candidate in the elections to the Upper House."

The six MLAs -- Rajendra Gudha, Lakhan Meena, Deepchand Kheria, Sandeep Yadav, Joginder Awana and Wajib Ali -- had joined the Congress in September 2019.

The Congress has fielded three Rajya Sabha candidates from Rajasthan - Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Pramod Tiwari - and is facing protests from its own MLAs for fielding "outsiders".

The BJP has fielded six-time MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari and has announced to support Subhash Chandra for the Rajya Sabha polls, who is a sitting member of the Rajya Sabha whose term will end in August.

The BJP has 71 MLAs in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly and need about 11 more votes to win two seats.

Chandra is directly pitted against Congress' Pramod Tiwari who is seeking a repeat Rajya Sabha term after a gap of one term.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is using all his resources to deliver three seats for the party.

As of now, there are 13 independent candidates in the state assembly who are supporting the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government.

Om Prakash Hudla on Thursday announced that he has not yet thought who he will support. "CM called me at his residence today and will meet him, but will vote on my own without getting under pressure from any party."