Ranchi: Ahead of Thursday’s Rajya Sabha poll for two seats in the state, the NDA camp began shifting its MLAs into a private hotel on Tuesday as part of its efforts to prevent any cross-voting.
Since morning, MLAs from BJP, Ajsu-P, JD(U) and LJP(RV) began reaching a prominent hotel. NDA, which is backing independent candidate and outgoing Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh, Parimal Nathwani, has a total of 24 MLAs, four less than the required number in the 81-member assembly to ensure victory. It, however, claimed that the results will be in favour of their supported candidate. Nathwani’s entry has turned the contest triangular.
On “hotel politics”, leader of opposition and Dhanwar BJP MLA Babulal Marandi told the media there were no fears in their camp over cross-voting but said it was a part of their preparations. “All of us rarely get time to gather and relax at one place. This will be one such occasion where we all will sit, discuss and interact besides making our preparations for the voting day. Nothing more should be read into it,” he said.
Hatia MLA Naveen Jaiswal stressed that they are united. “BJP or NDA MLAs never cross vote,” he told reporters in response to a query. It wasn’t, however, clear whether all 24 MLAs checked into the hotel or not till the time of filing of the report.
INDIA bloc members, who also remained busy with hectic parleys throughout the day, however, took a dig at NDA’s move. In a cryptic message on X, JMM wrote: “Not 56, 61...”
INDIA bloc has a total of 56 MLAs, sufficient to ensure victory of both its candidates, JMM’s Baidyanath Ram and Pranav Jha of Congress, provided the entire flock remains intact. Through the post, JMM may have tried to suggest that a few MLAs from the NDA camp are in touch with them.
Late in the evening, chief minister Hemant Soren’s residence turned into INDIA bloc headquarters where he huddled in a meeting with all the MLAs. Prior to that, Congress separately held a meeting of all its MLAs at a city hotel and a two-hour long meeting with ally RJD to lobby in favour of its candidate. State Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh claimed all was well. “INDIA bloc is and will be intact.”
JMM MP Mahua Maji said, “The way BJP-led NDA rushed its MLAs into a hotel, it seems they don’t have faith in anyone.”
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About the Author: ASRP Mukesh holds over 15 years of journalistic experience. He covers government, politics, human interest stories from Jharkhand.
