27 Haryana Congress MLAs moved to 'safe location' in Raipur ahead of RS poll

Chandigarh, June 2

Ahead of the battle for a Rajya Sabha seat, Haryana Congress MLAs were moved to Maysair Resort in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, today to prevent any horse-trading.

Keeping flock together

• All MLAs were first called to Delhi at former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda’s house
• The MLAs along with MP Deepender Hooda and state incharge Vivek Bansal moved to the Delhi airport in a bus and boarded a chartered flight
• Meanwhile, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said: “The MLAs were shifted to Raipur for training.”

Congress’ Ajay Maken is locked in a keen contest against Independent Kartikeya Sharma, backed by the Jannayak Janta Party, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Independent MLAs. Maken needs 31 votes to sail through, and the party has these many MLAs. In the case of an MLA or two cross-voting, the party could lose.

To move the MLAs to a safer location away from the allurements of the rivals, all MLAs were first called to Delhi at former CM and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s residence.

Along with Hooda’s son Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda, and state in charge Vivek Bansal, the MLAs moved to the Delhi airport in a bus and boarded a chartered flight.

While leaving Deepender told mediapersons: “All 31 MLAs of the party are together. When the results would be declared on June 10, the Congress candidate would get more than 31 votes, as the BJP, JJP, and Independent MLAs are in touch with them. The BJP should keep its flock together.”

Most of the MLAs had brought the luggage with them. However, four out of 31 MLAs didn’t join the Chhattisgarh flight including Hooda, former Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Kiran Choudhry, Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi, and Rewari MLA Chiranjeev Rao.

Hooda couldn’t be reached for comments.

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