Rajasthan Rajya Sabha Polls: After Cong, now BJP moves its MLAs to hotel

Jaipur, June 16: The state BJP on Tuesday moved most of its MLAs to a hotel here ahead of the June 19 Rajya Sabha elections, much like the ruling Congress which has already taken its legislators to a resort.

While the Congress has cited alleged poaching attempt as a reason for keeping their MLAs in the hotel, the BJP said they moved theirs to train them on the Rajya Sabha poll process. The BJP held a meeting of its legislators at the party office here before shifting them to a hotel in Sitapura on Tonk Road.

After the meeting, State BJP president Satish Poonia told reporters,"It was decided earlier that our MLAs will stay together for two days. We have several first-time MLAs so training will be held on the Rajya Sabha election process. Also, discussions on legislative works and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan will be held."

The elections to three seats of the upper house of parliament from Rajasthan will be held on June 19. Targeting the ruling Congress, Poonia said the party is a brand ambassador of horse-trading.

He said that it was the Congress that tried to destabilise the former Bhairon Singh Shekhawat government. Poonia also criticised Congress legislators and other MLAs, alleging they are "enjoying" themselves at the resort on Delhi highway. It will be a simple stay for BJP MLAs, he said.

The BJP has moved over 60 of its 72 MLAs to the hotel. Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) legislators have also joined part of the camp. The Congress had moved their more than 100 MLAs to the hotel last Wednesday.

For elections to three Rajya Sabha, the Congress has nominated K C Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi, while the BJP has fielded Rajendra Gehlot and Onkar Singh Lakhawat.

In the assembly of 200, the Congress has 107 MLAs and has the support of independent MLAs and legislators of other parties viz. the Rashtriya Lok Dal, CPI (M) and Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP).

The ruling Congress can easily win two seats and the opposition BJP, which has 72 MLAs and support of three Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MLAS, has the numbers to comfortably win one.