Rajya Sabha polls: BJP will get support of BTP, NCP MLAs, says Gujarat CM Rupani

Gujarat CM said he is hopeful that all three BJP candidates in the fray will emerge victorious with support from these MLAs.

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday exuded confidence about the BJP getting the support of two MLAs of the Bharatiya Tribal Party and lone legislator of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP in the March 26 Rajya Sabha polls in the state for four seats.

He said he is hopeful that all three BJP candidates in the fray will emerge victorious with support from these MLAs. BTP's Chhotu Vasava and Mahesh Vasava and NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja would give their votes to the BJP candidates, claimed Rupani.

"All three BJP candidates will certainly win. MLAs of the BTP and the NCP will give their votes to the BJP candidates," said Rupani.

Notably, both the BTP and the NCP are part of the Congress-led opposition in the Assembly. Besides the candidates of the ruling party, two nominees of the Congress are also in the fray for the four Rajya Sabha seats which are up for grabs from Gujarat.

The BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramilaben Bara, and Narhari Amin, while the Congress has given tickets to Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki. While NCP's Jadeja has already extended his support to the BJP, the BTP has not opened its cards yet.

"Both the MLAs of the BTP were elected by the people after rejecting the BJP and the Congress. We have not taken any decision yet on whom to support. "Just like the CM, Congress is also claiming that we will support them. We will clear our stand in the days to come," said Mahesh Vasava, son of BTP founder Chhotu Vasava.

Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda also claimed that BTP MLAs would support his party's candidates. "The BTP and the Congress are in alliance since 2017 and share the same ideology. The Congress is confident of winning two seats," Chavda told reporters here.

Notably, five Congress MLAs have already resigned from the house, diminishing the party's chances to win both the seats.

Now, with 68 MLAs and one vote of independent MLA Jignesh Mevani, the Congress may have to settle for only one seat despite fielding two candidates.

In the 182-member Assembly, the BJP's strength is 103, followed by 68 of the Congress, two of the BTP, one of the NCP and one Independent (Mevani). Members of a state's Assembly vote in Rajya Sabha polls.