RS election: Ahmed Patel's cross-examination completed

The cross-examination of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel over a petition filed by BJP leader Balvantsinh Rajput challenging his election to the Rajya Sabha ended before the Gujarat High Court Tuesday.

Patel was cross-examined for four days before Justice Bela Trivedi.

On Tuesday, Rajput's lawyer questioned Patel about a press conference he had held on August 7, 2017, a day before the election.

When asked if he recalled the conference, the Congress leader said he did address it but could not say when it was held.

On Wednesday, the court will deal with two applications filed by Patel.

One of the applications claims that Rajput's signature on the petition was forged and should be examined by a forensic science laboratory.

The other plea seeks removal of BJP leaders Amit Shah and Smriti Irani from respondents' list, in view of their election to the Lok Sabha. In 2017, Shah, Irani and Patel were elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Gujarat.

Patel had told the high court during the cross-examination Monday that it was the state Congress' decision, and not his, to shift 44 of its MLAs to a Bengaluru resort ahead of the election.

Rajput lost to Patel in the election which had become a prestige battle for both the BJP and Congress.

Among other things, his petition has accused Patel of bribing the MLAs to get their votes.

He has also sought that votes cast by Congress MLAs Shailesh Parmar and Mitesh Garasiya (in Patel's favour) be held invalid for a procedural breach, and the votes cast by Congress rebels Bholabhai Gohil and Raghavji Patel (which went to Rajput) be held as valid.