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Ahead of RS poll-day, jittery Congress fights to keep its stock together in Gujarat

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8 years ago

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Ahead of RS poll-day, jittery Congress fights to keep its stock together in Gujarat

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hit by defections, the Congress brought back its 44 MLAs from Bengaluru on Monday, only to lock them up again at a resort in Anand. The party claims that it has assured support of 45 MLAs required to ensure the politically crucial victory of its candidate, Ahmed Patel, in Tuesday’s RS poll

With less than 24 hours to go before the Gujarat assembly casts its votes to send three nominees to the Rajya Sabha, the Congress party is doing all it can to ensure that its nominee, Ahmed Patel – the influential political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi – doesn’t fail to get elected for a record fifth term.

Hit by defections and desertions by its MLAs – six of its 57 legislators have resigned of which three joined the BJP – less than a fortnight ago, the Congress party had packed off 44 of its MLAs to a resort in Bengaluru on July 29 in an apparent bid to check “poaching” attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The MLAs were brought back to Ahmedabad in the wee hours of Monday but only to be whisked away to another resort in nearby Anand, where they are expected to be kept till hours before voting begins for the Rajya Sabha polls, on Tuesday morning.

“All our MLAs have returned and they have been taken to a resort in Anand,” the Congress party’s chief whip in Gujarat assembly, Sailesh Parmar, confirmed. Parmar added that the party MLAs had “decided not to go to their home even on this day of ‘Rakshabandhan’ and be loyal soldiers of the Congress party… they will go to vote for our party candidate Ahmed Patel in the RS polls tomorrow”.

Ahead of RS poll-day, jittery Congress fights to keep its stock together in Gujarat

The Congress needs the support of at least 45 MLAs to ensure that Patel – a four term RS member – is re-elected. However, the very fact that of its 51 MLAs that remain since the resignations of senior leader Shankersinh Vaghela and five others, the party has managed to keep just 44 camped together betrays the confidence that the Congress leadership has been desperately trying to project over Patel’s re-election.

Besides the BJP’s aggressive overtures to ensure Patel’s defeat – which would come as a personal embarrassment for Sonia Gandhi – by forcing further resignations from the Congress’ flock, the Grand Old Party had got another major setback last week when the Supreme Court dismissed its request to stay an order by the Election Commission which allows MLAs to not vote against any candidate and opt for the ‘None Of The Above (NOTA)’option instead.

A senior Congress leader said on condition of anonymity: “this election undoubtedly will be the biggest challenge not just for Ahmed Patel but for the Congress high command too…Even assuming that the 44 MLAs who are locked up in the resort (in Anand) will all vote for Patel, we still need one more vote to ensure his victory. But as of now there’s no guarantee that even the 44 will certainly vote for Patel and the 7 remaining legislators too can’t be entirely trusted to do so despite the party issuing a whip ordering every remaining MLA to vote of its candidate”.

Officially of course, the Congress claims to have the numbers to ensure Patel’s victory. “All our MLAs will vote for Ahmed Patel…we have no doubt that we have the numbers and the BJP doesn’t to wrest this one seat from us,” said senior party MLA Shaktisinh Gohil.

However, there are rumours that the BJP and Vaghela – who is said to have influenced at least 10 Congress MLAs to cross-vote in favour of Ram Nath Kovind instead of the party candidate Meira Kumar, in the recent Presidential polls – are working overtime to convince some Congress legislators to either cross-vote (which would, under the RS polls rules, lead to their disqualification from the house for a six year term) or vote NOTA.

The stay of the Gujarat MLAs in the Eagleton Golf Resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru was itself marked by high drama. Senior Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar, who was overseeing the MLAs’ stay, faced searches by the income tax department last week in what the Congress called an act of “political vendetta and intimidation”. Now, hours ahead of the D-Day, the Congress is hoping that the BJP’s “dirty tricks department” doesn’t pull any other surprise on its leaders.

Gujarat has three seats in Rajya Sabha. While BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani would easily win two seats, it is in the third seat that the BJP has pitted Congress defector Balwantsinh Rajput – a close relative of Vaghela and Congress MLA till 10 days ago – against Patel.

Besides it hope of attaining a majority in Rajya Sabha at the earliest, what seems to be fuelling the BJP’s specific attempt at ensuring Patel’s defeat is the significant message that it is likely to send both within the Congress hierarchy and across Gujarat before the state goes for Assembly polls towards the end of the year.

Ahead of RS poll-day, jittery Congress fights to keep its stock together in Gujarat

Patel – a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat since 1993 and three term Lok Sabha MP from the state’s Bharuch seat before that – is the political secretary to the Congress president and though he maintains a low-profile and rarely ever interacts with the media, it is widely known that Sonia rarely ever takes any important political decision without discussing it first with Patel. As such, Patel enjoys a clout within the Congress leadership that is matched by no other party leader – with the exception of Sonia and her son, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

The immediate reason for Patel’s possible defeat in the RS polls is being attributed to defections being orchestrated by Vaghela – who had left the BJP to join the Congress nearly two decades ago but quit the Congress last week, ostensibly upset over the party’s reluctance to name him as its chief ministerial candidate ahead of the December 2017 assembly polls in Gujarat.

However, Congress leaders from the state as well as some of Patel’s detractors in the AICC, say that Vaghela is only the face of the party’s latest trouble. There is a much bigger message that the party wants to send to Sonia by ensuring Patel’s defeat – that she, and Patel by proxy, can’t continue to run Congress’ affairs in Gujarat in the same manner as they do now and that the grassroots workers and state leadership can no longer be run roughshod over.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre ahead of Vladimir Putin’s India visit

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government discourages visiting foreign dignitaries from meeting Opposition leaders, calling it a sign of “insecurity,” hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Delhi.

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1 day ago

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December 4, 2025

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Rahul Gandhi

As Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Delhi today for the India-Russia Annual Summit, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has renewed his charge that the Centre discourages visiting foreign leaders from meeting Opposition representatives. He called it a sign of “insecurity” within the government.

Rahul Gandhi alleges break in long-followed tradition

Speaking outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said that it has traditionally been the norm for visiting foreign leaders to meet the Leader of the Opposition, a practice he claims continued during the tenures of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.

He alleged that the present government advises foreign dignitaries against such meetings. “When foreign leaders come, the government suggests they should not meet the Leader of the Opposition. This is their policy,” Gandhi said. He added that a meeting with the Opposition offers visiting leaders a broader perspective, as “we too represent India.”

Gandhi further stated that this approach reflects the government’s reluctance to allow engagement between the Opposition and foreign guests.

Former Foreign Secretary counters Gandhi’s remarks

Responding to Gandhi’s allegations, former Foreign Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla said visiting leaders operate on very tight schedules and there is no protocol mandating a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition. He stressed that such interactions depend entirely on the guest’s time and preference, noting that the required meetings are those with the President and the Prime Minister.

Putin’s schedule packed with bilateral engagements

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to land in Delhi this evening on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation. His itinerary includes:

  • A private dinner with PM Modi
  • Visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Raj Ghat
  • Engagements at Bharat Mandapam and Hyderabad House
  • A banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu

The visit forms part of the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

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TMC MLA Humayun Kabir suspended after Babri Mosque replica proposal sparks row

TMC suspended MLA Humayun Kabir after he proposed building a Babri mosque replica in Murshidabad, a move that drew criticism from the party and sparked political tension.

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1 day ago

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December 4, 2025

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Trinamool Congress on Thursday suspended MLA Humayun Kabir after he publicly announced plans to construct a replica of the Babri Masjid in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. Party leaders said Kabir had earlier been cautioned for making such statements but continued to push ahead with the controversial proposal.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the MLA’s remarks were unacceptable, stressing that the party stood firmly by its secular stance. “We noticed that one of our MLAs suddenly declared he would build the Babri masjid. We had warned him before. As per the party’s decision, we are suspending him,” he said.

Kabir vows to continue project, may form new party

Kabir had planned to lay the foundation stone for the mosque replica in Beldanga on December 6. Sources indicated he is likely to resign from Trinamool on Friday and float a new party while continuing with the project.

The choice of date and nature of the project drew sharp criticism from the Trinamool leadership. Hakim alleged the move reflected a “divisional politics” strategy aligned with the BJP. “Why December 6? He could build a school or college. This is divisional politics,” he said.

Sources also said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was “hugely annoyed” by Kabir’s remarks and informed him that the party would not support or associate with such activities.

Governor raises concerns, administration on alert

West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose questioned why action was not being taken if the MLA’s statements risked creating a law-and-order issue. He said intelligence inputs suggested attempts to turn Murshidabad into a “hub of scandal,” adding that authorities would not remain silent if communal tensions were provoked.

Officials confirmed that while Kabir has permission to hold the December 6 event, the administration is maintaining a high-level alert in Murshidabad.

Minutes after his suspension, Kabir withdrew from Mamata Banerjee’s rally in the India–Bangladesh border district, where she was protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

BJP attacks Kabir over remarks

BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo condemned Kabir’s comments, claiming they were intended to “create communal tensions.” He said any attempt to raise structures linked to historical rulers would trigger disputes similar to the Babri Masjid conflict.

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Karnataka Power Shift: What Siddaramaiah–DK Shivakumar compromise formula means

A closer look at the emerging ‘compromise formula’ between Karnataka’s top leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, and how it may shape the state’s political future.

Published

6 days ago

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November 29, 2025

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A possible settlement between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has emerged, signalling a calmer phase in the leadership tussle within the state Congress. While the final decision rests with the party leadership in Delhi, details of the so-called “compromise formula” are gradually becoming clearer.

Breakfast diplomacy calms tensions

After weeks of speculation over friction between the two top leaders, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar met over breakfast today. The meeting, aimed at projecting unity, served as a symbolic reset after their strained ties over the chief ministership question.

Analysts believe the optics were crucial — the Congress successfully avoided a public showdown by diffusing tensions before they escalated further.

A transition of power likely, say analysts

According to political observers, the compromise indicates a strong possibility of Shivakumar taking over as Chief Minister in a smooth transition, potentially as early as March–April 2026.
For now, sources say the arrangement requires Shivakumar to continue as Deputy Chief Minister without pushing for immediate change.

In return, the formula reportedly includes more cabinet positions for leaders loyal to Shivakumar and continuation of his role as the state Congress chief. Siddaramaiah is also expected to back Shivakumar as the party’s face for the 2028 Assembly election.

Why the Congress prefers this route

Replacing Siddaramaiah abruptly would not only upset internal balance but could also weaken the party, given his stature and mass appeal. Shivakumar, despite his influence, does not have the numbers within the legislature to force a takeover, making compromise the most viable path.

Siddaramaiah has already stated that this will be his final term as Chief Minister. With his legacy secure and his position as one of Karnataka’s tallest leaders intact, he appears willing to enable a dignified transition when the time comes.

Variables that could shape the final outcome

The success of the formula depends on three key factors:

1. Trust between the two leaders

Whether Shivakumar believes Siddaramaiah will keep his word remains uncertain. Karnataka’s political history is full of last-minute shifts, giving rise to the phrase “natak in Karnataka”.

2. Decision-making by the Congress high command

Delhi’s leadership must ensure the transition happens on time and without internal resistance, especially in the run-up to the 2028 Assembly polls.

3. Caste equations and political alignment

Siddaramaiah is the strongest face of the AHINDA bloc, while Shivakumar represents the OBC Vokkaliga community. The Congress cannot afford to alienate either group, making the timing and execution of any transition extremely delicate.

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