Cong's ambiguous stand leading to horsetrading: Vijay Goel

Ranchi, Mar 25 (UNI) The BJP today said the Congress' 'ambiguous' stand on tomorrow's Rajya Sabha elections to two seats in Jharkhand has led to the prospect of maximum horsetrading.

Party's national secretary and Rajya Sabha poll observer Vijay Goel claimed that NDA's candidate Jaiprakash Narayan Singh would sail through with support of 24 BJP MLAS and five JD(U) legislators against the required qualification tally of 28.

He criticised the Congress saying the party was yet to come out openly with its choice. He said the trend of outsiders jumping into the fray was not healthy for Jharkhand and it created more chance for horsetrading.

The BJP leader sounded confident about the NDA's prospect in the RS poll as they took a decision yesterday that the MLAs would cast ballot openly which would be shown to the observer present on the spot.

While the NDA apparently stood united bracing for the poll, the presence of two other independent candidates--Mr R K Anand and Mr Parimal Nathwani, the group president of Reliance Industries Limited (Corporate Affairs), added confusion to the allies of UPA.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha proposed Mr Kishori Lal, former MP, but allies like Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress still remained non-committal on their support to him.

Interestingly, RJD state president Gautam Sagar Rana urged party Supremo Lalu Prasad to abstain from voting and Congress in-charge of the state Ajai Maken said the party's stand would be made known by this evening.

Mr Nathwani's nomination paper was supported by 12 MLAs.

Mr Anand had last time also fought the RS poll from the state but drew a blank.

UNMI AM-PRS KK/PK RK1901