Another Congress MLA in Gujarat has resigned ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls in the state, taking the tally of legislators who have quit the party to five, PTI reported on Monday, 16 March.
Following this, the Congress in Gujarat suspended the MLAs with immediate effect. The opposition party also suspended from the primary membership the wife of one of these MLAs after she claimed her husband quit due to infighting in the Congress for Rajya Sabha seats.
Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi informed the House on Monday that five Congress MLAs have resigned and he has accepted their resignations.
The five are Pravin Maru from Gadhada, Pradyumansinh Jadeja from Abdasa, Soma Koli Patel from Limbdi, JV Kakadia from Dhari and Mangal Gavit from Dang, the Speaker said, according to PTI.
With this, the strength of the Congress party in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly has come down to 68 from 73.
The election to the four Rajya Sabha seats in the state is to be held on 26 March.
Resignations by Four Congress Legislators
Four Congress legislators had earlier tendered their resignation on Saturday.
"Four Congress MLAs tendered their resignation to me on Saturday, and I will announce their names in the Assembly tomorrow," he said, according to PTI.
The Congress had on Saturday shifted its 14 MLAs to Jaipur fearing horse-trading by the ruling BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.
The BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin for the election.
Given its number in the Assembly, the ruling party can only win two seats unless it manages cross-voting from the opposition camp or ensure defection of Congress MLAs to win the third seat.
The Congress has fielded senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki.
(With inputs from PTI.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)