Gujarat RS Polls: Blow to Congress, NCP decides to support BJP

In a shock to Congress in Gujarat, its tradional ally NCP has decided to support Bharatiya Janata party in crucial Rajya Sabha polls on Tuesday. 

NCP leader Kandhal Jadeja told ANI that his party has decided to support the saffron outfit.

"Our party has asked us to support BJP in tomorrow's RS elections," Jadeja said.

However Congress' candidate Ahmed Patel earlier in the day said that the NCP is extending its support to him.

"The NCP has said that it will support Congress in the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat," Patel said.

BJP President Amit Shah, Union Minister Smriti Irani and former Congress, now BJP leader Balwantsinh Rajput are hoping to make their way to Rajya Sabha by winning the polls to be held on Tuesday. 

The main competition will be seen on the seat of Ahmed Patel, a Sonia Gandhi loyalist, where BJP has fielded Balwantsinh Rajput, who recentlyt joined the party. 

The state has been witnessing political upheaval in the recent past. The political temperature in state had risen when six Congress MLAs joined BJP. The Congress accused BJP of horse-trading and sent its 44 MLAs from Gujarat to Bengaluru since on July 29 to prevent their possible poaching by the ruling BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.

The Income Tax department raided Bengaluru's Eagleton Resort, which belonged to Karnataka's Energy Minister DK Shivakumar. The Congress alleged resort was raided because its 44 MLAs were staying there.

#WATCH: #Gujarat NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja says "Party has asked us to vote for BJP's Balvantsinh Rajput in tomorrow's RS polls". pic.twitter.com/eDnfqaCh8E

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2017

 

If Praful Patel ji has indeed said that our 2 NCP Gujarat MLAs will support BJP in RS polls then it must be correct :Majid Memon,NCP pic.twitter.com/JF3yBliTJX

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2017