Congress Demands Probe by SC Judge Into MLAs’ Resignations in Gujarat Ahead of Bypolls ‘For Money’

A day ahead of the bypolls for 8 Gujarat Assembly seats, the Congress on Monday demanded an inquiry by a Supreme Court Judge into the resignations by party MLAs “in lieu of money” ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in that state in June.

A Congress sting allegedly showed Somabhai Patel claiming in a video that he was paid money to resign in March ahead of elections to the four Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat.

State Congress leader Arjun Modwadia told the media: “All central agencies are working at the behest of the Union government. So, an inquiry by a Supreme Court Judge should be done into the matter.”

The 45-second video was earlier released by Gujarat Congress in Ahmedabad.

“It is a big issue. Election laws should be amended to such defections through resignations,” Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.

He also demanded a case be registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code.

Congress state affairs incharge Rajeev Satav alleged that the BJP was misusing central agencies and adopting other methods to get MLAs into its camp.

The eight Congress MLAs had resigned, which led to the defeat of one Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls.

Eight Assembly seats will go to the bypolls in Gujarat on November 3, while the counting of votes will take place on November 10.

Apart from Kiritsinh Rana from Limbdi, the BJP has fielded five Congress turncoats who joined the BJP — Pradyumansinh Jadeja from Abdasa, Brijesh Merja from Morbi, JV Kakadiya from Dhari, Jeetu Chaudhary from Kaprada, and Akshay Patel from Karjan.

The BJP has fielded former Minister and former Deputy Speaker Atmaram Parmar from Gadhada (SC) and former legislator Vijay Patel from Dangs,.

Besides Chetan Khachar in Limbdi, the Congress has fielded Babu Vadthaa from Kaprada, Suryakant Gamit from Dangs, Shantilal Sanghani from Abdasa, Jayantibhai Patel from Morbi, Suresh Kotadiya from Dhari, Mohanbhai Solanki from Gadhada, and Kiritsinh Jadeja from Karjan.