देश
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot to address media after late-night meet with MLAs, confident of victory in Rajya Sabha elections
A day after accusing BJP of horse trading ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in Rajasthan scheduled for June 19, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appears confident of a win. He will hold a press meet on Friday and is likely to respond to the allegations.
The Congress party will hold a press conference at 12:00 pm in the JW Marriott Hotel. Apart from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, State In-charge Avinash Pandey, State Congress President Sachin Pilot, National Organization General Secretary KC Venugopal Rao, Rajya Sabha Election Observer Randeep Surjewala will be also present at the press meet.
It has been reported that on Thursday, Gehlot held a meeting with senior party leaders late night and he stayed at the Hotel Shiv Vilas for the night. It is also possible that legislators will also be shifted to Hotel JW Marriott on Friday.
Gehlot had alleged that the BJP ‘delayed’ the Rajya Sabha polls in the state and has accused the latter of horse-trading. He said that there were reports that some of his party MLAs were being offered ‘Rs 25 crore in cash and Rs 10 crore in advance’.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Thursday said that the party has the numbers and its both candidates will surely win the Rajya Sabha polls. “I want to make it clear that the Congress Party has adequate mandate, support of Independents and other parties. Both of our candidates will win the elections,” Pilot told PTI.
On calling the Congress MLAs to a resort for the meeting, he said the party has the experience of ‘incidents’ happening in other states, like some MLAs resigned in Gujarat. “People are making attempts. But people in Rajasthan are united and sincere. We have a mandate. Even Independents and other parties are supporting us. There are no chances of the BJP’s second candidate’s win,” he said.
The Congress has nominated K C Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi for the Rajya Sabha elections agianst BJP’s Rajendra Gehlot and Onkar Singh Lakhawat.
In the 200-member assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs, including six those who defected to the party from the BSP last year.