Congress Approaches EC to Complain Against BJP for MLA ‘Poaching’

To ensure no more defections, Congress has lodged its 44 Gujarat MLAs at a private resort in Bengaluru

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Manish Tiwari, Manu Singhvi and others come out Election Commission of India

(Photo: PTI)

After six Gujarat MLAs quit ahead of Rajya Sabha polls, a wary Congress has lodged its 44 Gujarat legislators at a private resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru, saying it is "protecting" them from the BJP's "hooliganism".

Ghulam Nabi Azad, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha defended the action.

We have shifted our MLAs to Karnataka. This is a shameful act for Centre & state govt. The govt is indulging in defection of MLAs. We have brought this to EC’s attention.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha

The Congress is keen to fend off alleged "poaching" attempts by the BJP ahead of the 8 August Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat. They have also taken up the matter to Election Commission.

Of the 57 Congress MLAs in Gujarat, from where Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel is contesting for Rajya Sabha, six have resigned from the party in the last two days with three of them joining the BJP yesterday.

The party has apprehensions about Patel's election to the Rajya Sabha, if more MLAs defect.

The BJP has denied the Congress' allegations and said it cannot be blamed if Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul are unable to hold the crumbling organisation.

(With inputs from PTI)

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj