Congress leader Ahmed Patel retains Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat

Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat are being held today. Will Ahmed Patel be elected to the Rajya Sabha. The entire nation, probably for the first time is watching an RS election with such keen interest. The Gujarat assembly would vote in the RS elections today.

176 members of the 182-strong Gujarat Assembly would vote to elect three representatives to the Upper House of Parliament and they have four candidates to choose from. A candidate would need the support of 45 legislators to win. The 182 member Gujarat assembly was reduced to 176 after six Congress legislators quit recently. The six members are however not eligible to vote.

In the election to be held today, Amit Shah and Smriti Irani too are contesting. Both the BJP leaders will sail through as the numbers are heavily stacked in their favour. The party has 121 MLAs and this means it has 31 extra votes to ensure the victory of both its leaders. The party fielded Balwantsinh Rajput against Ahmed Patel. Rajput had recently resigned from the Congress.

Follow all the live updates here:

01.50 am: Congress workers celebrate after after Ahmed Patel's victory.

01.45 am: Congress leader Ahmed Patel retains Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat.

01.35 am: Seeing the pain of 14 youths who died during Patidar agitation I voted against BJP, says BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya in a FB post.

01.25 am: Counting of votes halted after BJP claims two Congress MLAs violated rules by showing ballots to unauthorised people, reports PTI.

01.15 am: Ahmed Patel now needs 44 votes, results to be out soon.

12.55 am: I appreciate the order of the Election Commission. I salute my MLAs & rank & file of the Congress Party: Ahmed Patel.

12.35 am: BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya has admitted to cross-voting for the Congress party.

12.14 am: Ahmed Patel Ji said EC made a good decision and thanked them. Everyone thought Amit Shah is always successful in unlawful,negative things but Gujarat proved this kind of authority won't work: Bharatsinh Solanki.

12.10 am: With the Election Commission having disqualified two votes, counting of all 176 MLAs' votes has begun in Gandhinagar.

12.05 am: I believe they already had plans since yesterday to make this fabricated story & conspiracy. Our polling agent raised the issue immediately but we thought it is for EC to decide further on it. I demand EC to make CD public. If required we will take legal action: Gujarat Dy CM.

11.51 pm: Truth has emerged victorious in spite of BJP using all the power. Ahmed Patel will win: RS Surjewala

11.50 pm: Big win for democracy; will boost morale of Congress worker. Ahmed Patel will win with big margin: Bharatsinh Solanki, Gujarat Cong Pres

11.35 pm: EC asks Returning Officer to start counting of votes after segregating the votes in question.

11.31 pm: EC declares votes of 2 Congress MLA's invalid, counting to begin soon.

11.00 pm: JD(U) sacks Gujarat Gen Secy Arun Srivastava for writing to RO over appointment of party's election agent when he was not directed to do so

10.50 pm: Election Commission will convey order on counting of votes to Returning Officer at 11.30 pm.

10.20 pm: With all respect want to tell BJP that this is the war of truth, lies cannot prevail on Gandhi Ji's land: RS Surjewala.

9.55 pm: EC officials did not meet Congress & BJP delegations for the third time; officials are in closed door meeting right now

9.47 pm: BJP delegation leaves Election Commission office

9.46 pm: It is a complete sham that Congress is indulging in, the allegations are completely baseless: Union Min Piyush Goyal at EC

9.45 pm: We want electoral process to be completed and counting to begin: Nirmala Sitharaman at EC

9.40 pm: We are confident about EC's judgement, they'll be giving opining on counting soon: Union Min Dharmendra Pradhan

9.27 pm: BJP delegation also reaches Election Commission for the third time

9.09 pm: Congress leaders including RPN Singh and Randeep Surjewala going to the Election Commission for the third time

9.05 pm: Full bench meeting of the Election Commission underway after Congress objected to 2 Cong MLAs' ballot in Gujarat RS election

8.55 pm: Have appealed EC to start the counting process immediately because free & fair elections took place: MA Naqvi, BJP

8.45 pm: Have full faith in EC,Congress's allegations have no substance and they are giving wrong precedents: RS Prasad after meeting EC again

8.05 pm: There is enough evidence that the ballot paper were seen by people other than those authorized. EC must reject these ballot papers as it did in Haryana in June 2016- P Chidambaram.

8.00 pm: BJP demands immediate counting of votes.

7.55 pm: Gujarat Rajya Sabha election: Now, Congress leaders Anand Sharma & Randeep Surjewala head to Election Commission Office

7.53 pm: Cong is trying to misuse Article 324, which says nobody has the power to cancel a completed election: Union Minister Piyush Goyal

7.45 pm: Since morning Congress has been claiming win, now with defeat staring in their face they are making desperate attempts: RS Prasad

7:29 pm: Congress leaders including Anand Sharma and Randeep Surjewala will go to the Election Commission again shortly, reports ANI.

7:19 pm: BJP delegation including Union ministers MA Naqvi, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan leave for Election Commission office.

07:18 pm: We had raised objection at 9.30 am, but EC has not responded till now, shows that they are being put under pressure: Arjun Modhwadia, Cong

07:10 pm: We requested that Congress,BJP & Presiding officer should jointly watch video, but BJP objected, waiting for EC decision: Arjun Modhwadia,Cong

07:00 pm: Union ministers Arun Jaitley , Ravi Shankar , Nirmala Sitharaman also reach Election Commission

06:42 pm: Election Commission meet taking place right now over Congress complaint, EC's decision will come today: Sources

06:25 pm: Congress complaint to EC demanding quashing of votes of 2 Cong MLAs who voted BJP and allegedly showed votes publicly

06:20 pm: Who is KC Tyagi to say anything? Chotubhai has voted, he will tell. Our support is with Ahmed Patel: Ambalal Jadhav, #Gujarat Gen Secy JDU

06:19 pm: Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told media on Tuesday evening that two of rebel Congress legislators had shown their ballot papers to BJP President Amit and another independent candidate. Surjewala said that Congress has communicated its grievances to the Election Commission in writing and even given them evidence to corroborate their claim.

06:16 pm: I told Ahmed Patel a month ago not to contest RS polls. I said MLAs were not happy with party: Cong rebel MLA Raghavji Patel

06:10 pm: All reports and Congress's complaint sent to EC in Delhi.

06:09 pm: Gujarat Rajya Sabha election: State Election Commission agrees to review video where 2 Congress MLAs showed vote slip to BJP

06:06 pm: EC officials say Returning Officer's decision on Gujarat Rajya Sabha election will be final

06:05 pm: MLA Raghavji Patel says he voted for Balwantsinh Rajput going against party whip

05:54 pm: Counting begins after EC rejects Congress plea

05:55 pm: According to rules, a legislator is allowed to show his ballot paper only to his own poll agent, and not to his opponent. The Congress alleges that two of its rebel MLAs showed their ballot paper to Amit Shah, the BJP President.

05:50 pm: Reacting to the Congress' demand for cancellation of two cross-votes, BJP Gujarat president Jitu Vaghani says, "Let the Election Commission take the call." He questions why the objection has been raised in the evening when the two MLAs have voted in the morning.

05:48 pm: Chief Election Commissioner has arrived at the place of counting in Gujarat to break the impasse.

05:43 pm: Congress's Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh approach EC to demand quashing of votes of 2 Cong MLAs,say they voted BJP & publicly showed votes

05:42 pm: Congress president Sonia Gandhi upset with NCP chief Sharad Pawar after 'betrayal'

05:40 pm: The Congress has alleged that two of its legislators had shown their ballot papers to Amit Shah after they cast their votes. The counting has been put on hold for now after the EC took notice of Congress' allegations. The BJP, on the other hand, claimed that Congress' allegations didn't hold water and they were resorting delaying tactics.

05:34 pm: Two Congress MLAs Bholabhai and Raghavji Bhai voted for BJP and publicly showed their votes: Shaktisinh Gohil

05:32 pm: Congress demands to delay the counting of votes alleging its two MLAs Bholabhai and Raghavji Bhai , who cross-voted, showed ballot paper to BJP polling agent.

05:30 pm: JD (U) MLA Chhotubhai Vasava defies party whip, says he voted for Congress leader Ahmed Patel

5:27 pm: The JD(U) has made contradictory statements on who it has voted for. K C Tyagi says party MLA voted for BJP. MLA however says he voted for Ahmed Patel.

05:17 pm: JD(U) has voted for BJP in Gujarat Rajya Sabha election, says KC Tyagi, JD(U) leader

05:16 pm: Congress wants counting to be delayed, alleges cross voting

05:15 pm: Celebrations begin in BJP office in Ahmedabad ahead of Rajya Sabha election result

05:10 pm: Shankersinh Vaghela likely to visit BJP's Gujarat office if all three party candidates win

05:07 pm: Congress feels more MLAs may have cross voted

05:15 pm: NCP to take action against its MLA Kandhal Jadeja

05: 10 pm: Congress demands rejection of two party MLAs' votes

05:02 pm: We will ask for official copy, if the video has been tampered then its a serious a criminal act, we will go to SC for that: Shaktisinh Gohil

05:01 pm: Two Congress MLAs who voted for BJP showed their votes to Amit Shahji, it has been video-graphed: Shaktisinh Gohi

04:56 pm: The counting of votes will commence at 5 pm.

04:33 pm: Chotubhai Vasava confirmed voting for Ahmed Patel in the election because he was opposed to his party JD(U) president Nitish Kumar forming an alliance with the BJP in Bihar.

04:30 pm: Meanwhile, Kapil Mishra tweeted:

03:56 pm: Congress demands cancellation of two cross voting

03:15 pm: Ahmed Patel is not "scrounging for every vote". It's the BJP who have been poaching. He's obliged to protect his numbers. Elections are fought to win!, Omar Abdullah tweeted.

02:10 pm: Polling for Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat over as all 176 MLAs cast their vote: state Chief Electoral Officer B B Swain

02:05 pm: Number are in our favour, result should be good, I am confident and optimistic, says Ahmed Patel

02:00 pm: Ashok Gehlot, Congress general secretary in charge of Gujarat, said, "We are confident of win. It is true that one Congress MLA cross-voted. But in spite of this cross-voting, Ahmed Patel will win the elections. This win will be a slap on the face of the BJP."

01:44 pm: Amit Shah, Smriti Irani leave polling venue

01:21 pm: Gujarat Congress MLAs at Uma Bhawan after they cast their vote in #RajyaSabhaPolls #Gujarat

01:09 pm: Congress MLA Dharshi Khanpura cast his vote himself after EC officer denied his proxy voting request.

12:59 pm: "Congress MLAs will vote for Ahmed Patel despite BJP's conspiracy and cheap tactics. BJP could not lure the Congress MLA. In the end truth will prevail, definitely Ahmed Patel is going to get all the votes," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala.

12:42 pm: 61 BJP MLAs and 43 Congress MLAs have cast their votes so far.

12:33 pm: Victory of our candidates certain. Party had been working for this since announcement of election dates: Anandiben Patel, former Gujarat CM

12:28 pm: Congress MLAs outside the assembly after casting their votes in Rajya Sabha Polls.

12:24 pm: We have got 43 votes so far, 1 MLA is going to vote. Chhotubhai Vasava (JDU) publicly said he voted for Ahmed bhai: Arjun Modhwadia, Cong

12:17 pm: Congress MLA Karmsinh Makwana defies whip and votes for BJP. Makwana was one of the 44 MLAs who were lodged in a private resort in Anand.

12:09 pm: BJP president Amit Shah, who is also an MLA from Gujarat, also came to cast his vote. Vaghela's son Mahendrasinh Vaghela was seen touching the feet of Shah when he went inside to cast his vote.

11:50 am: Voting underway in Gujarat for high-stakes Rajya Sabha elections

11:33 am: Meanwhile, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh took to Twitter,''Don't forget what Congress has done for you. You are a Rajput. Please ensure Ahmed Bhai's victory. He has been our friend and supporter.''

11:17 am: With 122 MLAs in the House of 182, two BJP candidates Amit Shah, Smriti Irani will easily sail through.

It will be a neck-to-neck between, Patel and Congress turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput with 44 Congress MLAs supporting Patel amid high chances of cross-voting between the two parties.

11:01 am: JDU MLA Chotu Vasava arrived for voting. He was escorted by BJP leaders inside the voting room. After casting his vote he said, "I have voted as per party's ideology, I have voted for the nation." It will be known at 5 pm for whom he has voted.

10:37 am: Things blown out of proportion because of Ahmed Patel. He's in risky situation, half of his people might end up voting for BJP: Majeed Memon, NCP

10:33 am: Gujarat Pradesh Party supports Ahmed Patel

10:31 am: NCP legislator Jayant Patel said he voted in Rajya Sabha Polls according to whip issued by high command, after all we are the partner of UPA.

10:25 am: Seven Congress MLAs including Shankersinh Vaghela who have not voted for Ahmed Patel are Shankersinh Vaghela, Mahendrasinh Vaghela, C K Raolji, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Amit Chaudhary, Bholabhai Gohil, Raghavji Patel.

10:22 am: I have cast my vote. In a democracy the voting is secret: Mahendra Sinh Vaghela, Congress

10:21 am: Both NCP MLAs voting for BJP candidate, it is clear: #Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

10:16 am: We have voted according to the whip issued, confident of victory of all our candidates: #Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

10:13 am: Gujarat Congress MLAs arrive at state assembly in Gandhinagar from Neejanand resort in Anand #RajyaSabhaPolls

10:03 am: Out of the 4 candidates, Ahmed Patel is going to get the maximum number of votes. His victory is certain: Shailesh Parmar

10:02 am: 2 MLAs voted for BJP despite being Congress MLAs. Shakti Singh Gohil has taken objection against this: Arjun Modhwadia, INC

10:00 am: I am contesting RajyaSabha Polls as a Congress member and not as Sonia Gandhi's aide. We will form Government this time: Ahmed Patel

09:59 am: Personal equations could also be at play as Vaghela's granddaughter is married to BJP candidate Balvantsinh Rajput's son.

09:58 am: Cong wont touch 40 mark says Vaghela

09:54 am: There are only two parties in Gujarat- Congress and BJP. If I am not with Congress you know where I will be: Raghavji Patel

09:51 am: Congress hadn't been listening to us for a year. We have voted for Balwantsinh Rajput: Dharmendra Jadeja, Congress.

09:50 am: Voted for Balwantsinh Rajput. I want to stay in politics but not in Congress: Raghavji Patel

09:42 am: Shankersinh Vaghela says he did not vote for the Congress as "there is not point voting for a party that is not going to win".

09:41 am: Had cleared things yesterday itself. You will know everything in the evening: NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja

09:40 am: When I am confident, party is confident we are going to win. Wait for the result to come: Ahmed Patel, INC candidate

09:37 am: Here's how numbers stack up for BJP and Congress

BJP - 120

Congress - 51 (including Vaghela)

NCP - 2

JD(U) - 1

GPP - 1

Independent - 1

09:35 am: ​Voting ends at 5pm. The counting will begin immediately after.

09:25 am: Gujarat Assembly Secretary D M Patel, who is also the returning officer for the Rajya Sabha election said that after the resignation of six Congress MLAs, there are total 176 MLAs eligible to vote.

09:16 am: "Given the support extended by the NCP, JD(U) and the fact that the Shankersinh Vaghela group will vote for Rajput, BJP's all three candidates are set to win," chief minister Vijay Rupani says minutes before voting.

09:12 am: Sharad Pawar says he will back Ahmed Patel

09:06 am: Shankersinh Vaghela arrived for voting at Gujarat assembly

09:02 am: Voting begins at the Gujarat assembly for Rajya Sabha elections.

08:52 am: Amit Shah and Smriti Irani arrive at Gujarat assembly

08:48 am: Polling to begin at 9 am

08:44 am: Preparations for Rajya Sabha polls underway in State Legislative Assembly in Gandhinagar

08:36 am: Congress MLAs reach Vidhan Sabha Bhawan

8:00 am: Gujarat MLAs show victory signal as they leave resort

7:55 am: Gujarat MLAs leave from Neejanand resort in Anand ahead of Rajya Sabha elections.

OneIndia News