Congress parades MLAs, dares BJP to poach them

The Congress on Sunday paraded all its legislators from Gujarat, who have been lodged in a resort near here, before the media, in an effort to quell speculation of dissension in the party ranks.

Congress spokesperson Shaktisinhn Gohil claimed the BJP tried to “buy” 22 of its MLAs by offering Rs 15 crore for cross-voting during the elections to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, to be held on August 8.

“Our legislators have not come here to enjoy. We brought them here to save democracy as they were being poached by BJP, using money and muscle power,” Gohil told reporters at the resort, as 44 Gujarat MLAs sat behind him.

Of the initial strength of 57 in Gujarat, six MLAs resigned from the party in the last two days. Three of them joined the BJP on July 28. Seven other MLAs are not part of the group in the resort near Bengaluru but Gohil hoped they would listen to their “inner voice” and not vote against the Congress.

The seven MLAs should not forget that they were elected on a Congress ticket, he added. “We have 44 legislators here, and we are also in touchwith seven legislators, who are not here with us, and a few others from other parties including NCP are also voting for us. All in all, we have 60 legislators voting for our candidate,” he said.

He also alleged the BJP was using the CBI to target Congress leaders.

Earlier, Gohil had said there is no bickering among the legislators. “I am here since last night with my colleagues. We are living like a family. There is no internal problem or bickering between us,” he had said.