'JD(U) has voted for Ahmed Patel in RS polls, Nitish is misleading'

The lone JD(U) legislator in Gujarat, Chotu Vasava, on Monday again reiterated that he had cast his vote in favour of Congress candidate Ahmed Patel in recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections from the state.

“I have voted for Ahmed Patel,” he told local television channels in a telephonic interview. He went onto allege that the claim made by Bihar chief minister that he had voted for BJP in RS polls was not the truth. “What can I say if such a senior political leader is making misleading statements.”

In fact, Vasava alleged that Nitish or his aide K C Tyagi could have taken money from BJP to pressurize him to vote against Patel. “They must have taken Rs 50 crore. Why else was he (Nitish) pressurizing me to vote for BJP?” Vasava, who represents ST seat of Jhagadia in Bharuch district of South Gujarat, said.

He even called Nitish being akin to Shankarsinh Vaghela of Bihar. “Nitish has gone to BJP without taking me with confidence. If he had done so then I would have listened to him. But as he had left us to go with BJP, I have voted for Ahmed Patel,” Vasava said.

The Jhagadia legislator also batted for Mahagathbandhan his party had with Lalu Yadav and Congress in Bihar. “He should have stayed with them and no need to dissolve the Mahagathbandhan. He could have instead dissolved the Assembly and gone in for fresh elections,” he added.

He said that Nitish appears to be standing with people who are trying to destroy the democracy and its institutions in the country. “I am not happy with BJP’s working in the country, be it GST or lack of oxygen supply to children. They will get befitting reply in forthcoming elections and us people will cut off their oxygen supply by throwing them out of power,” Vasava added.