To block poaching, Congress shifts 25 Gujarat MLAs to Rajasthan
JAIPUR: In the latest round of "Political Tourism'', around 25 Congress MLAs from Gujarat have been moved to Rajasthan and are now staying at a private resort in Sirohi district. After a couple of Congress MLAs in Gujarat resigned ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha elections on June 19, the party is keen to prevent any further poaching and has reportedly shifted over two dozen of its legislators to the Wild Wings Resort in Sirohi.
While the Gujarat Congress has alleged that the BJP is trying to lure and buy its MLAs, BJP leaders including the Chairman of the Sirohi Municipal Committee has questioned the Congress' move of shifting MLAs to Rajasthan amid the lockdown and asked the administration to look into how this episode implies flouting of lockdown norms.
Four Congress MLAs were shifted two days ago and on Saturday evening and 21 more MLAs of Gujarat were brought into the Wild Wings Resort at Ambaji in Sirohi located on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. Another group of about 40 MLAs have also been reportedly moved to Rajkot district. Gujarat MLAs were brought into Jaipur even earlier. But after the corona crisis led to the postponement of Rajya Sabha elections in March, they had returned to Gujarat.
The President of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, Amit Chavda, has accused the BJP of using money power to buy party MLAs for Rajya Sabha elections. He asserted, "The Gujarat BJP is using all fair and foul means to tempt and buy our MLAs. Instead of helping people when the state is reeling under the effects of coronavirus, the Gujarat government is trying to scare or lure our MLAs. Congress MLAs will now stay together to finalize our strategy to ensure victory for our candidates. To ensure that their families and friends can meet them, we have booked them into this resort which is close to Gujarat.”
In addition, Patan MLA Kirit Patel remarked that those who wanted to leave the Congress had left and now the 25 MLAs at the resort do not feel scared."Now we are all together. No one can lure us. Those who wanted to sell themselves have done so but we are not worried at all," he claimed.
On the other hand, Suresh Chandel, the Chairman of the Sirohi Municipal Committee and the BJP’s OBC Morcha Chief, Maneesh Morwal visited the resort on Sunday morning and objected to the MLAs staying during the lockdown. They informed the local administration about the developments and Chandel has even lodged a complaint with the local police.
Clearly, political tourism, which remained suspended for a few months due to the postponement of the Rajya Sabha polls, has revived again in Rajasthan just ahead of the elections to 18 Rajya Sabha on June 19. These elections will see MLAs vote for 4 seats in Gujarat and 3 in Rajasthan.