Ahmedabad: Hit by three resignations in its legislative rank in a week, the Congress in Gujarat is shifting all its MLAs to a resort in Abu Road in party-ruled Rajasthan, alleging the ruling BJP was indulging in horse-trading ahead of the June 19 polls for four Rajya Sabha seats.
More than 20 Congress MLAs have already arrived at the resort, a party source said on June 8.
He said that all party MLAs are being shifted to a single resort at Abu Road in Sirohi district of Rajasthan, not far from the Gujarat border in Banaskantha district.
MLAs staying at the resort include Chandan Thakor, Bharat Thakor, Ganiben Thakor, Shiv Bhai Bhuria, Gulab Singh Rajput Kanti Kharadi, CJ Chavda, Baldev Thakor, Ritvik Makwana, Rajesh Gohil, Mahesh Patel, Rajendra Singh Thakor, Ashwin Kotwal Wajesi Panada, Jasu Bhai Includes Patel, Naushad Solanki, Lakhbhai Bharwad, Natha Bhai Patel, Suresh Patel, Kirit Patel, Shailesh Parmar and Himmat Bhai Patel.
After the resignations of three MLAs last week, the Congress, whose strength has been reduced to 65 in the 182-member House, had earlier moved its legislators to various resorts in Gujarat, dividing them into zone-wise groups starting June 6.
The Opposition party has now changed its strategy and is moving all its legislators to Abu Road, located near the popular hill station of Mount Abu.
Read: Cong moves 15 Gujarat MLAs to Anand resort ahead of RS polls
The shifting of MLAs to Congress-ruled Rajasthan will allow the party to focus on drawing up its strategy for the crucial Rajya Sabha elections for which it has fielded two candidates, the source said.
“The party has decided to move all the MLAs at one place, to the resort at Sirohi in Rajasthan where they will stay till they are brought back to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections on June 19.
“Several MLAs have already arrived at the resort, while the remaining will reach there by Monday evening,” the party source said.
Until June 7 night, more than 20 MLAs, mainly from the north Gujarat region, were shifted to the resort in the neighbouring state, he said.
The Congress had in March also taken its MLAs to a resort in Jaipur after five party legislators resigned before the March 26 Rajya Sabha polls, which were subsequently postponed due to the coronavirus lockdown.
The Congress has hit out at the BJP government in Gujarat, accusing it of misusing state machinery for “threatening and horse-trading” people’s representatives.
