Gujarat NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja (ANI Phto) Gujarat NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja (ANI Phto)

In a big blow to Congress before the Rajya Sabha polls, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to vote in favour of the BJP. NCP leader Kandhal Jadeja on Monday said that his party will support BJP candidate Balvantsinh Rajput in tomorrow’s polls. “Our party has asked us to support BJP in tomorrow’s RS elections,” Jadeja said.

Interestingly, Jadeja’s comment came hours after Congress’ candidate Ahmed Patel said that the NCP is extending its support to him. “The NCP has said that it will support Congress in the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat,” Patel had said.

Commenting on this decision of the party, NCP leader Majid Memon said, “If Praful Patel ji has indeed said that our 2 NCP Gujarat MLAs will support BJP in RS polls then it must be correct.”

The Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat is slated to be held tomorrow for three seats. The BJP has fielded party president Amit Shah, Union Minister Smriti Irani and Congress defector Balwantsinh Rajput on the third against Ahmed Patel.

The state has been witnessing political upheaval recently after the exit of Congress veteran Shankersinh Vaghela from the party which was followed by the resignation of six Congress MLAs, bringing down the party’s tally in the 182-member House from 57 to 51. The Congress accused BJP of horse-trading and sent its 44 MLAs from Gujarat to Bengaluru since on July 29 to prevent their possible poaching by the ruling BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.

#WATCH: #Gujarat NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja says “Party has asked us to vote for BJP’s Balvantsinh Rajput in tomorrow’s RS polls”. pic.twitter.com/eDnfqaCh8E — ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2017

Earlier in the day, all the Gujarat Congress MLAs were brought back to the state and were taken to another luxurious Neejanand resort in Gujarat’s Anand district. According to sources, each of the 44 MLAs has been kept under the watch of two Youth Congress workers in the resort.

Superintendent of Police, Anand, Saurabh Singh told The Indian Express that the Ahmedabad police will escort the MLAs back to Gandhinagar on Tuesday morning.

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