Gujarat RS polls: Will continue to help Congress in distress, says NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday said that it will support Congress in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat.

Speaking to ANI, NCP leader Majeed Memon said their party president Sharad Pawar has made it extremely loud and clear that they are going to support Congress candidate Ahmed Patel, who is contesting for a Rajya Sabha seat.

"Pawar has already made it extremely loud and clear that we are going to support Ahmed. We have been with UPA for 10 long years and our association with the Congress continues not withstanding a bit bitterness here or there, not withstanding some adamants on part of Congress..we are still with UPA and we will continue to help Congress in distress. And the Congress should remember that we come in rescue when they are in distress," he added.

Memon further said that one small seat for the Rajya Sabha has turned into a matter of prestige between the Congress and the BJP.

Meanwhile, expressing confidence of winning the upcoming Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections, the Congress said that all political parties along with the National Communist Party (NCP) will support the grand old party and its candidate Ahmed Patel.

Ahmed Patel, who is contesting for a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat, will meet the 44 party MLAs who returned today morning from Bengaluru.

In the wee hours today, all the 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs who were holed in Karnataka's resort as a result of the alleged horse-trading by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Rajya Sabha election, returned back to the state.

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, ahead of the Rajya Sabha Election which is to be held tomorrow for three seats.

After reaching the resort, senior Ahmed Patel expressed confidence on his party and said all the MLAs of the party stand united.

"We are confident of victory, all MLAs are with us," he told ANI.

All the MLAs were whisked away to Bengaluru's Eagleton Resort, after six of the Gujarat Congress MLAs quitted the party and joined the BJP.

The BJP has fielded party president Amit Shah, Union Minister Smriti Irani and Balwantsinh Rajput against Congress' Ahmed Patel.