Amit Shah vs Ahmed Patel: Gujarat RS poll to be held today

August 08, 2017 08:47

Gujarat looks set for a tight contest in the Rajya Sabha elections today, which will decide, among others, the fate of Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Gujarat has three vacancies and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded party chief Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and Congress turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput. Of them, two are set to win, given the BJP's strength of 122 lawmakers in the assembly.

Ahmed Patel needs the support of 45 MLAs after six Congress lawmakers resigned amid horse-trading charges against the BJP, bringing the party's strength in the assembly to 51.

The party is banking on the Nationalist Congress Party and Janata Dal-United lawmakers to support Patel, who is seeking re-election to the Upper House of Parliament.

But the calculations could change as one of the two NCP legislators -- Kandhal Jadeja, the MLA for Kutiyana -- said on Monday evening he was asked by his party leadership to vote for Rajput.

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