Rajya Sabha polls postponed, Gujarat Congress MLAs return from Jaipur

Three candidates from the BJP and two from the Congress were in the fray for four RS seats from the state.
A view of the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament in New Delhi. (File | PTI)
A view of the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament in New Delhi. (File | PTI)

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Congress MLAs who were kept in a resort in Jaipur returned to the state on Tuesday after the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for March 26 was postponed.

Three candidates from the BJP and two from the Congress were in the fray for four RS seats from the state.

The EC on Tuesday announced the postponement of the election to 18 Rajya Sabha seats.

"All our 68 MLAs who were shifted to Jaipur (last week) have returned to Ahmedabad," said a party source.

They were shifted to Jaipur to stop the BJP from indulging in horse-trading after five Congress MLAs resigned, reducing the party strength from 73 to 68 in the 182-member Assembly.

While the Congress had earlier stated the EC could conduct polls on March 26 by taking necessary precautions, on Tuesday its state unit chief Amit Chavda said "however, now when the Election Commission has taken a decision keeping in mind the well-being of people, we accept it".

"Whenever (RS) elections will be held, both our candidates will win," he said.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) currently has 103 MLAs in the Assembly. The BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin for the Rajya Sabha election. The Congress has fielded senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki.

The Bharatiya Tribal Party has two MLAs, Nationalist Congress Party one and there is one Independent legislator.

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