In the Rajya Sabha by-elections underway in Gujarat today, Congress rebel MLA Alpesh Thakor and Congress disgruntled MLA Dhavalsinh Zala have reportedly cross-voted. As reported by Tv9 Gujarati, Congress MLA Brijesh Merji confirmed that the duo have cross-voted.
I have sent my resignation to State assembly Speaker. Dhavalsinh Zala (Bayad MLA of Congress) has also tendered his resignation: Radhanpur MLA of Congress party Alpesh Thakor to media persons in State capital Gandhinagar pic.twitter.com/FlWFhGL5Qv
— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) July 5, 2019
After casting his vote, Thakor said that he has voted as per his ‘inner voice’ and that he got nothing but mental stress by being with the Congress.
Alpesh Thakor, Rebel Congress MLA on Rajya Sabha elections: Maine antar aatma ki awaz se matdan kiya, aur rasthriya netretavya ko dhyan mein rakh ke kiya. Jo party jan aadhar kho chuki hai aur jis party ne hamare sath droh kiya hai, usko maddhe nazar rakh ke kiya. #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/sfPPBMKkHO
— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2019
He even said that he voted keeping in mind national leadership. “I have kept in mind the party which has destroyed public trust and which is anti-national before voting,” Thakor said after casting his vote for the BJP candidates for Rajya Sabha bypolls.
The two were also not present at the Balaram Palace Resort where the Gujarat Congress MLAs were whisked away ahead of voting. The two of them have also tendered their resignation from the Assembly.
As per reports, about 15 more Congress MLAs are yet to cast their vote for the two Rajya Sabha seats. The bypolls were necessitated after Smriti Irani and Amit Shah vacated their Rajya Sabha seats after they were elected from Amethi and Gandhinagar respectively. BJP has fielded External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Juglalji Thakor while Congress candidates are Chandrika Chudasma and Gaurav Pandya. The counting of votes will begin at 5 pm today.
