07-12-2007, 09:51 PM
<!--emo&:furious--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/furious.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='furious.gif' /><!--endemo--> Congress makes its MLAs 'captive'
Lokpal Sethi | Jaipur
Prez poll
The Congress in Rajasthan seems to have doubts about the loyalty of some of its MLAs. So, the party has decided to keep them under barabandi (fenced in) for three days starting July 16.
Although the Congress leaders claim that UPA candidate Pratibha Patil would secure more votes than the party's strength in the State, they fear that the NDA-supported independent candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat might dent their party's vote bank.
About 10 days ago when Shekhawat visited the State to attend some official functions, some Congress MLAs had met him. But they insist that it was only a "courtesy call".
In a bid to keep the flock together, Congress leaders have asked all the 55 party MLAs to reach Jaipur by Monday.
According to party sources, arrangements are being made to keep them at one place for the next few days. The decision to keep these MLAs at one place was taken in a meeting of senior party leaders on Wednesday evening. AICC general secretary and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC president BD Kalla and Legislative Party leader Ramnarayan Chaudhary attended the meeting. These leaders have taken the responsibility of ensuring a "comfortable stay" for the party MLAs.
On the face of it, these leaders are saying that party MLAs have been asked to make themselves available in the State capital by the evening of July16 where they would be 'trained'on how to vote in the presidential election.
On Wednesday, when Pratibha as part of her campaign addressed a meeting of the Congress MLAs, 51 of them were present. Apart from three independents, two BSP MLAs also participated in the meeting. Though the CPI(M) and Lok Janshakti Party of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan are supporting the UPA candidate, its MLAs were not invited to the meeting. These two parties have one MLA each.
Lokpal Sethi | Jaipur
Prez poll
The Congress in Rajasthan seems to have doubts about the loyalty of some of its MLAs. So, the party has decided to keep them under barabandi (fenced in) for three days starting July 16.
Although the Congress leaders claim that UPA candidate Pratibha Patil would secure more votes than the party's strength in the State, they fear that the NDA-supported independent candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat might dent their party's vote bank.
About 10 days ago when Shekhawat visited the State to attend some official functions, some Congress MLAs had met him. But they insist that it was only a "courtesy call".
In a bid to keep the flock together, Congress leaders have asked all the 55 party MLAs to reach Jaipur by Monday.
According to party sources, arrangements are being made to keep them at one place for the next few days. The decision to keep these MLAs at one place was taken in a meeting of senior party leaders on Wednesday evening. AICC general secretary and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC president BD Kalla and Legislative Party leader Ramnarayan Chaudhary attended the meeting. These leaders have taken the responsibility of ensuring a "comfortable stay" for the party MLAs.
On the face of it, these leaders are saying that party MLAs have been asked to make themselves available in the State capital by the evening of July16 where they would be 'trained'on how to vote in the presidential election.
On Wednesday, when Pratibha as part of her campaign addressed a meeting of the Congress MLAs, 51 of them were present. Apart from three independents, two BSP MLAs also participated in the meeting. Though the CPI(M) and Lok Janshakti Party of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan are supporting the UPA candidate, its MLAs were not invited to the meeting. These two parties have one MLA each.