Gujarat: BJP wins three RS seats, Congress restricted to one

GANDHINAGAR: The election to four Rajya Sabha (RS) seats in Gujarat did not turn out to be a contest after all. All three candidates fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party won, while the Congress could send only one candidate to the Upper House of the Parliament from Gujarat.
Any hopes of Congress getting both its candidates elected were shattered when both Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) MLAs – Chhotu Vasava and Mahesh Vasava — did not turn up for polling which ended at 4 pm.Lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Kandhal Jadeja voted for BJP.
Two candidates of the BJP – Abhay Bharadwaj and Ramila Bara – and one candidate of the Congress, Shaktisinh Gohil, secured outright Rajya Sabha berths by getting 36 first preference votes each. BJP’s third candidate Narhari Amin got 35.98 votes which also included second preference votes while Congress’ second candidate Bharatsinh Solanki reeled back by four votes having got 31.98 votes.
Counting delayed as Congress raised two objections
All candidates required a minimum 35 first preference votes for an outright win.
It was apparent that the BJP had ensured it did not repeat the 2017 RS polls mistake where Ahmed Patel managed to snag a victory by a whisker. Apart from Congress MLAs resigning ahead of RS polls, BJP ensured that NCP votes for them while BTP does not vote against them and there is no cross-voting from inside the BJP.
Counting of votes and pronouncement of results of the RS election was delayed till late night as Congress raised two major objections. Congress represented that vote of education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama should be considered invalid, as HC had declared his election void. The SC has however, stayed the HC order. The party also demanded that BJP MLA Kesarisinh Solanki’s vote be considered invalid, as he voted through a proxy despite being present in the house.
Kesarisinh had got himself admitted citing ill-health but was escorted to senior leader Shankar Chaudhay to the polling venue. After the BJP got a whiff that Kesarisinh, former Congress MLA who joined BJP ahead of 2017 polls, could vote in favour of Bharatsinh Solanki, the party president Jitu Vaghani and MoS home Pradipsinh Jadeja ensured a proxy votes instead of Kesarisinh to avoid any cross-voting.
Counting was taken up after 9 pm on Friday after the Election Commission of India and the local returning officer turned down the complaints.
The BTP MLAs – Chhotu Vasava and Mahesh Vasava - did not turn up for polling. Party chief Chhotu Vasava said that he and his son Mahesh Vasava decided not to vote for any party, as both BJP and Congress have failed the tribal population of the state. “Our demands for tribals have not been met and I do not think they will ever be. So we have decided to abstain from voting,” he said. Earlier in the day, both BJP and Congress leaders met Vasava in a desperate bid to secure the two crucial BTP votes.
Shortly after voting ended, both Congress candidates Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki left the Gujarat assembly. Before leaving the assembly, Solanki said that the BJP misused power in the RS election. “I am happy all remaining MLAs stayed with the party. Both of us candidates thank our MLAs. The BJP used threat politics against the BTP MLAs.”
Following announcement of the results, AICC Gujarat in charge Rajeev Satav said, “It is sad to lose one seat, but our struggle and efforts will continue with more energy.”