Cong shift 40 Gujrat MLAs to Bengaluru fearing desertion

Bengaluru: In a post mid-night operation, the Congress Party has shifted its 40 Members in Gujarat Assembly to a posh resort here in the early hours of today fearing crossover of more legislators to the the BJP ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha election from that state slated for August 8 Rpt 8. The legislators came in two batches with 31 coming by flight from Ahmedabad and nine others from Rajkot, party sources indicated here.

Stung by seven MLAs who defected to the BJP, the Congress in an attempt to keep its flock together resorted to politics fearing horsetrading by the BJP in Gujarat, party sources claimed. Mr Shailesh Paramar, the Congress Chief whip in Gujarat Assembly, claimed that 40 MLAs had been shifted to Bangalore. Karnataka Lok Sabha Member D K Suresh who arranged the trip after Congress high command apparently instructed the party in Karnataka to make arrangements for the MLAs however said the legislators were in the city for 'sight seeing'. ''They are here to visit places of tourist interests.

They will be going to different places in Bengaluru and also to Temple town of Tirupati,'' he claimed. Congress has to safeguard the remaining party MLAs to ensure the victory of Mr Ahmed Patel, a confidant of party president Sonia Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha election. After seven Congress MLAs had quit the party and their seats, the BJP which had earlier fielded party president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani, has now pitted the third candidate in anticipation of more desertations from congress ranks. (UNI)