Rajya Sabha elections: Nearly 70 Congress MLAs camp in Udaipur

jaipur: Nearly 70 Congress MLAs from Rajasthan are camping at a hotel in Udaipur ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections to four seats in which the party fears horse trading by the opposition BJP, party sources said on Friday.

Several ministers, including Parsadi Lal Meena, BD Kalla, Mamta Bhupesh and some independents like Suresh Tak, are present at the hotel in the lake city. A bus carrying over 40 MLAs reached the hotel, where the party had held its 'Chintan Shivir' in May, around 2.30 am on Friday. The bus left Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence with the Members of the Legislative Assembly on Thursday and stopped in Bhilwara where state revenue minister Ramlal Jat hosted a dinner.

Remaining MLAs of the party will reach the hotel according to their convenience, sources said. Rajya Sabha elections to the four seats will take place on June 10. Congress has fielded three candidates and BJP, one.

BJP has given support to media baron Subhash Chandra who has filed his nomination as an independent candidate.

Fearing horse trading for the seat contested by Chandra, the ruling Congress has decided to keep the party and other supporting MLAs together.

The Congress with its 108 MLAs in the state Assembly is set to win two seats.

After winning two seats, the Congress will have 26 surplus votes, 15 short of the required 41 to win the third seat.