The Gujarat Congress decided to shift its MLAs to a resort in Banaskantha, instead of one in Mt Abu. Earlier in the day, in a surprising move the party decided to shift its 65 MLAs to Mount Abu, ahead of the all-important Gujarat Rajya Sabha by-polls, which will be held on Friday, 5 July in Gandhinagar.
However, now 69 of the party’s 71 MLAs will head to Balaram Palace Resort, in Banaskantha district of North Gujarat.
Party spokesperson Manish Doshi said the Congress’s tactics shifted the local media’s spotlight from Amit Shah’s first visit to Ahmedabad after taking over the Union Home Minister’s portfolio.
Doshi said the MLAs visited Ambaji temple in Banaskantha district before they headed to the resort.
Earier in the day, Gujarat Congress MLA Ashwin Kotwal told the press, “Gujarat Congress MLAs had requested for a 'shivir' (team-building camp) during the mini-vacation of the assembly session. So, we're holding a one-day 'shivir' for which all of us are going to Mount Abu.”
The Congress in 2017 had employed similar tactics when it had moved its 44 MLAs to a resort in Anand first and then to Bengaluru to ensure that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel gets elected to the Rajya Sabha.
According to election officials, three MLAs will not be able to cast their vote in the bypolls as they were disqualified for various reasons in the recent past. Apart from that, four seats are lying vacant after their sitting MLAs resigned on getting elected to the Lok Sabha.
Of the total 182 MLAs, 175 are qualified to exercise their franchise. The BJP's strength stands at 100, followed by 71 MLAs of the Congress. Since elections will be held separately, a candidate needs to garner a simple 50 percent vote to win. In the present scenario, each candidate needs 88 votes to secure victory.
The Congress has 71 MLAs in the Gujarat Assembly, but are only moving 65 to Banaskantha. Those excluded by the party includes rebels Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zhala who are expected to vote against the Congress candidates.
Alpesh Thakor told ANI, “I haven't received the whip yet, I will go and vote if I receive a whip.”
The Quint spoke to Gujarat Congress Spokesperson, Manish Doshi who said moving MLAs is not only a precautionary measure but also a team building exercise.
He further said that a few of the MLAs including Alpesh and Dhavalsinh will not be joining the rest, “They will cross vote against us, so there is no point in taking them along. “
In a video statement uploaded on YouTube, BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya, lampooned the Congress and said that the party seems to be in vacation mode all the time.
He further added that the Congress is a sinking ship that takes decisions that goes against the nation, only to eventually blame the BJP for its losses.
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