The Congress on Thursday fielded Digvijaya Singh and Phool Singh Baraiya as its candidates from Madhya Pradesh for the Rajya Sabha elections, signalling its resolve to battle it out with the BJP that is said to have poached 22 of its MLAs.
The Congress will need at least 116 MLAs to ensure the victory of the two candidates. The party has 92. Along with ally Independents, the SP and the BSP, the number goes up to 99, still short by 17.
While Digvijaya, the first candidate, is expected to sail through easily, the other candidate’s victory depends on the success of the mission to save the Kamal Nath government.
The Congress has also nominated as candidates for the upper House general secretary in charge of organisation K.C. Venugopal from Rajasthan and local candidate Neeraj Dangi.
Senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki have been fielded from Gujarat, and Deepender Hooda from Haryana.
Rajiv Satav, a Rahul Gandhi confidant, has been nominated from Maharashtra. Advocate K.T.S. Tulsi and Phulo Devi Netam have been fielded from Chhattisgarh.
The Madhya Pradesh Speaker has asked the 22 rebel Congress MLAs to appear before him by Friday and clarify whether their resignations were voluntary, PTI reported on Thursday.
Cops block minister
Madhya Pradesh minister Jitu Patwari was allegedly stopped by police from entering a resort near Bangalore in BJP-ruled Karnataka where 19 of the 22 MLAs are believed to be holed up.
