Ahmed Patel confident of winning RS seat from Gujarat

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Monday expressed confidence on winning Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat.

He exhumed confidence to win the seat with surprising numbers "despite ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) conspiracy" against him.

Speaking to the reporters, Patel said, "I have full confidence of my victory tomorrow despite the BJP's attempts and the numbers will surprise everyone. I will also hold meeting with all our Gujarat MLAs individually. If anyone cross-votes tomorrow, they will face action from party or even disqualification".

Accusing the BJP of engineering defections, Patel said the party has threatened and applied pressure on the families of the 44 Congress MLAs, whom the grand old party sent to Bengaluru to save them from horse trading.

"It is unfortunate that BJP has forced us to keep MLAs huddled. BJP has threatened and pressurised families of 44 MLAs but they remain committed to the Congress," he said, adding that a whip will also be issued in this regard.

Patel added that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has also announced its support to him.

The NCP has said that it will support Congress in the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat.

At least 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs were camping at a resort in Bengaluru since July 29 to prevent their possible poaching by the ruling BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.

All the MLAs were holed in Bengaluru's Eagleton Resort, after six of the Gujarat Congress MLAs quit the party and joined the BJP.

All the Gujarat Congress MLAs returned back to the state earlier in the day.

As soon as the MLAs landed at the state capital they were taken to the Neejanand Resort in Gujarat's Anand district, located 77 km from Ahmedabad. The Gujarat Rajya Sabha election is slated to be held tomorrow for three seats.

The BJP has fielded party president Amit Shah, Union Minister Smriti Irani and Balwantsinh Rajput.