Gujarat Rajya Sabha election LIVE: Counting delayed, Congress approaches EC in Delhi after state commission rejects plea for cancellation of votes
Voting is complete for three seats in Rajya Sabha in Gujarat. Election officer in Gandhinagar said that all the 176 MLAs have cast their votes. Counting will start at 4 o’clock Results are likely to come by 5 o’clock. Four candidates are standing in three seats in the Rajya Sabha. The victory of Amit Shah and Smriti Irani on behalf of BJP is being considered convincing. The fight is about the third seat. On which Congress leader and Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel is the candidate. In this seat, BJP has fielded Balwant Singh Rajput, a leader from Congress. Balwant Singh Rajput was the chief whip of the Congress till recently.
The eyes of everyone look forward to the elections for the three seats of the Rajya Sabha in Gujarat. Four candidates are standing in three seats. The victory of Amit Shah and Smriti Irani on behalf of BJP is being considered convincing. The fight is about the third seat. On which Congress leader and Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel is the candidate.
In this seat, BJP has fielded Balwant Singh Rajput, a leader from Congress. Balwant Singh Rajput was the chief whip of the Congress till recently. Among the recent resignations of several Congress MLAs, the NCP also announced the support of BJP candidate giving a shock to the Congress. Competition has become quite interesting. Voting is continuing in Gandhinagar. Results will arrive by 6 pm.
LIVE UPDATE-
Catch live updates on the election here:
5:56 pm: Counting of votes begins. Congress plea for cancellation of two votes has been rejected by the Election Commission.
5:45 pm: Congress spokespersons Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh approach Election Commission to demand quashing of votes of two Congress MLAs, who say they voted for BJP and publicly showed their ballots.
5:35 pm: Reacting to the Congress’ demand for cancellation of two cross-votes, BJP Gujarat president Jitu Vaghani says, “Let the Election Commission take the call.”
He questions why the objection has been raised in the evening when the two MLAs have voted in the morning.
5: 33 pm: JD(U)’s KC Tyagi says party’s Gujarat MLA Chhotubhai Vasava voted for BJP, reports ANI.
5:32 pm: Two Congress MLAs Bholabhai and Raghavji Bhai voted for BJP and publicly showed their votes: Shaktisinh Gohil
5:14 pm: Celebrations commence at BJP office in Ahmedabad ahead of Rajya Sabha Polls results.
Of the -185 legislators, 65 have cast votes till 11 o’clock.
– All seven rebel legislators of Congress have voted their votes.
JDU legislator Chotu Vasava has cast his vote, after casting his vote, he said that he voted for party ideology. After casting his vote, he also met BJP President Amit Shah.
Congress leader Ahmed Patel reached the polling booth
– 44 Congress MLAs have come to cast vote, all these legislators arrive from the bus. The Congress had earlier kept them in the resort in Anand in Bangalore and then Gujarat to save them from the defection.
Many MLAs including Congress MLA Raghavji Patel, Dharmendra Jadeja, announced that they voted in favor of BJP candidate Balwant Rajput.
-Shankarsingh Vaghela came to vote. Recently he had announced to leave the Congress. After the voting, Vaghela said that I did not vote for Congress candidate Ahmed Patel because Congress was not going to win.
– Voting starts in Gandhinagar, polling for three seats in Rajya Sabha, results from 6 pm.
– BJP candidate Amit Shah and Smriti Irani went to the Assembly for the Rajya Sabha. CM Vijay Rupani also reached.
#WATCH: #Gujarat Congress MLAs leave Neejanand Resort in Anand showing victory sign, ahead of Rajya Sabha election voting. pic.twitter.com/Q0l86nyEJC
— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2017
Gujarat assembly secretary DM Patel, who is also the returning officer for the election, said that after the resignation of six Congress MLAs, a total of 176 MLAs were eligible to vote.
Why is this election important?
Before the Assembly elections to be held in late Gujarat this year, this election battle of the Rajya Sabha has increased the political stirrings. For BJP, where it will try to increase its expenditure, the Congress will have a battle to save its reputation.
