Following rumours that some of its MlAs are on the brink and will anytime leave the party, the Opposition Congress on Monday paraded 13 MlAs before the media at its state headquarters in Ahmedabad on Tuesday evening.
The Congress reacted promptly as local TV channels and vernacular dailies reported that at least 13 Congress MlAs believed to be loyalists of Shankersinh Vaghela will join BJP. Vaghela is leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly and lots of speculations over his departure from Congress are going on for the last few months. BJP sympathiser industrialists and some of the BJP leaders are in touch with the Congress legislators, said the reports.
Balwantsinh Rajput, chief whip, Congress in the State legislative Assembly, said that the rumours were being spread by the BJP. “The BJP is using the social media to confuse the people as it has failed in all fields.” He added that not a single industrialist or BJP leader has till date contacted any of the legislators. Interestingly, among the 13 MlAs, names of Rajput and Vaghela’s son Mahendra too appeared.
Among the legislators present at the parade, include Gyasuddin Sheikh, legislator from the old city of Ahmedabad. He said that he had returned from Mecca last night and was shocked to read that some industrialist has sought to ‘purchase’ him for the BJP.
Dr Anil Joshiara, legislator from tribal Constituency of Bhiloda, on his part appealed to the media to check the veracity of messages being spread on social media before printing them. He said that no Congress MlA would go to the BJP.