44 Gujarat Congress leaders leave for Bengaluru amid talks of horse-trading by BJP

To escape the horse-trading in Gujarat, 44 Congress leaders left from Gujarat to Bengaluru. In last two days six Gujarat Congress MLAs have joined BJP. All the MLAs who have joined BJP are said to be close to Shankarsinh vaghela who has also moved out of Congress.

"To hide their failure, BJP is trying to make sure our MLAs resign by offering money and through police pressure. To ensure BJP is not successful, 44 of us Congress MLAs are leaving from Gujarat for Bengaluru," said Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Friday said that crores of rupees have been spent in horse trading in Gujarat by the BJP.

"The anti-defection law is supreme, and repeatedly Supreme Court has called defections a constitutional sin. One Congress Gujarat MLA Punabhai Gamit has said he was offered Rs 10 crore rupees by the BJP," said Singhvi.

Since the time Shankarsinh Vaghela quit Congress, many Gujarat Congress MLAs who are believed to be close to him have resigned from party. Gujarat Congress MLA Ramsinh Parmar submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker on Friday.

Two of Gujarat Congress MLAs - Mansingh Chouhan and Chhanabhai Chaudhary had also quit the party on Friday.

This development came just a day after Balwantsinh Rajput, Tejashree Patel and Prahlad Patel left the party to join the BJP, ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.

According to sources, Balwantsinh Rajput who is Chief whip of the Congress in the Assembly, is likely to be fielded by the BJP against veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who is a lone Congress candidate for the Upper House.

Also read: BJP denies horse trading allegations in Gujarat, says Congress is sinking ship