The BJP on Monday shifted most of its Rajasthan MLAs to a resort here for a training camp ahead of the June 10 elections for four Rajya Sabha seats from the state, even as the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) announced to support the saffron party-backed independent candidate Subhash Chandra.
RLP national convener and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal on Monday night announced to give support to Chandra, a media baron. The RLP, a former ally of the NDA, has three MLAs in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly.
In a tweet, Beniwal said that the MLAs of his party will not give votes to BJP and Congress, and will cast votes in support of the independent candidate.
The BJP's action on Monday came days after a similar move by the state's ruling Congress.
The BJP shifted its MLAs to a resort in the outskirts of Jaipur in the name of a training camp. The MLAs will stay there and different sessions will be held, party leaders said.
While some MLAs reached the resort at Jamdoli on the Jaipur-Agra highway on their own, others took the two buses provided for them at the party office in the city.
Nearly 60 MLAs had reached the resort, a party leader said in the evening.
This is a training camp in which the MLAs will be given training on the Rajya Sabha elections, a party spokesperson said.
Senior leaders are expected to address sessions at the camp.
Meanwhile, in Udaipur, chief minister Ashok Gehlot took a meeting of the party and independent MLAs who are staying in a hotel and asked them to stay united to win three out of four seats of Rajya Sabha.
Congress sources said more than 100 MLAs, including 12 of the 13 independents, are present in the hotel in Udaipur.
The Congress had shifted the MLAs to Udaipur on June 2, saying it fears horse-trading by the BJP.
The chief minister took a meeting of the MLAs and asked them to stay alert for any attempt of horse-trading by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha elections. He asked the MLAs to stay united, a source said.
All the three Congress candidates - Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Surjewala and Pramod Tiwari -- were also present there. The The BJP has nominated one candidate and is backing Chandra as an independent.
Meanwhile, Director General of Anti-Corruption Bureau B L Soni held a meeting with officers and directed them to stay alert to check any attempts of horse-trading for the Rajya Sabha elections.
Reacting to government chief whip Mahesh Joshi's complaint given on Sunday, the DG called a meeting on Monday which was attended by in charges of all ACB chowkies/units in Jaipur.
An ACB spokesperson said that the complaint given by the chief whip has been registered for inquiry and the matter has been handed over to ACB SP Yogesh Dadhich.
Possibilities of horse trading are there. So, I have submitted a written complaint to the ACB to remain alert and to make such attempts unsuccessful," Joshi had said on Sunday after giving the complaint.
The Congress with its 108 MLAs in the 200-member state assembly is set to win two seats.
After winning the two spots, the Congress will have 26 surplus votes, 15 short of the required 41 to win a third seat.
Congress leaders claim the support of 126 MLAs, including 108 from the party itself. The party needs 123 MLAs to win three seats.
The BJP has 71 MLAs in the state Assembly, enough to get one seat in the Rajya Sabha this time. After that it will be left with 30 surplus votes. Thus, 30 surplus votes of BJP and three of RLP (total 33) are with independent candidate Subhash Chandra. He is short of eight MLAs to win the seat.
Meanwhile, former deputy CM Sachin Pilot reached Sriganganagar from New Delhi by a train and was given a grand welcome by the party workers and locals.
From there, he went to Punjab to meet Sidhu Moosewala's family members at the slain singer's village in Mansa district and left for New Delhi.
Pilot had reached Udaipur from New Delhi with Pramod Tiwari on Friday and later in the evening, he had left for New Delhi.
