Stage set for high-stakes Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat; Vaghela mum on choice, says Patel still friend

The development forced the Congress to go in back-foot as it feared more defections and shifted all its MLAs to Bengaluru ahead of the crucial polls.

New Delhi: The election to the three Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on Tuesday with both BJP and Congress exuding confidence even as the poll has become a major prestige issue for the two parties.

The ruling BJP has 121 MLAs in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly while the Congress strength has plummeted to 51 after over half a dozen members quit the party in a fast-paced recent political development in the state.

Veteran Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela along with six party MLAs had resigned last month citing differences.

The development forced the party to go in back-foot as it feared more defections and shifted all its MLAs to Bengaluru ahead of the crucial polls.

Congress has blamed the BJP for desertions, calling it a "poaching" attempt.

The election has become a high-stake contest with both sides fielding heavyweights like Amit Shah, Smriti Irani and Ahmed Patel.

The Congress is reportedly herding its 44 MLAs at a resort near Anand to prevent "poaching" by the BJP ahead of the election.

They had only returned to the state from Bengaluru today and will directly go to Gandhinagar on Tuesday to vote for the party's nominee Ahmed Patel.

"All our MLAs have decided not to go to their home even on this day of 'Rakshabandhan' and be loyal soldiers of the Congress party.

“They will stay together and they will go to vote for the Rajya Sabha polls tomorrow from Anand," PTI quoted party chief whip Sailesh Parmar as saying.

Expressing confidence of winning Tuesday's election, Patel said, “Despite BJP's attempts and the numbers will surprise everyone."

Patel, who is Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary, is seeking a fifth consecutive term in the Upper House of Parliament.

Congress needs 45 votes to secure a win for Patel. Hence, it is banking on NCP, JD(U) and GPP. It is also hoping to win back a few of its rebel members.

However, rebel leader Vaghela on Monday chose to remain silent on his choice of candidate, saying "Each and every voter is the owner of his vote. The vote is the personal property of an MLA. Therefore, I do not want to reveal whom I will vote for."

He said that Congress nominee Ahmed Patel is still his friend. "We have been friends since then and we remain friends till now. Even today, we talked over phone. Our relationship is not limited to politics."

He also said he was no longer in touch with the Congress leadership and dismissed reports that he was in contact with BJP for the election.

Meanwhile, the BJP is confident of acquiring all three seats in Gujarat.

Addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad on Monday, BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said all members of the party are in the state to support the three candidates.

"All leaders of the party, from our party head to our state president," he said.

He also said that all MLAs in the state will be briefed with a presentation about the Rajya Sabha elections.

Pandya said, All MLA`s have come. Only a few could not come because of personal reasons.

Former Congress party chief whip Balwantsinh Rajput is also contesting on a BJP ticket.