The Opposition BJP has claimed all of its 79 MLAs, barring one, have checked into the resort Jaipur Greens on Jaipur-Ajmer road for crucial Rajya Sahba poll slated to held on Thursday in Jaipur.
The ruling Congress party also had a series of meetings to ensure victory of its three candidates, including an Independent supported by the Congress.
According to the state BJP president Arun Chaturvedi, 78 party MLAs are staying at the resort.
“One of our MLA Shankar Rawat could not reach because he was participating in an RSS camp. He will join soon us,” Mr Chaturvedi said.
The Janta Dal’s lone MLA Fateh Singh has also joined the BJP MLAs at the resort. The BJP MLAs had a meeting on Wednesday at the resort and were informed about the voting pattern for the Upper House.
The Congress criticised the saffron party for locking up its MLAs. “The BJP has herded its MLAs like cattle in the hotel, it is wrong,” senior Congress leader and MLA Raghu Sharma said. Mr Sharma claimed that the number game was in favour of the Congress. “We have the requisite number to ensure victory of our two official candidates: Union minister Anand Sharma and Ashq Ali Tak; While the party is also supporting Independent candidate Santosh Bagrodia,” Mr Sharma said.
The hotel management restricted entry of the media on Wednesday. The BJP chief whip Rajendra Rathore said the party MLAs had been brought in only to be trained about the new procedure of polls.
The Congress had a meeting on Wednesday at chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence and the party leaders including state Congress chief C.P. Joshi and senior leader Mukul Wasnik reviewed the party’s preparedness for the elections.
According to sources, Congress leaders tried convince CMP leaders to support the Congress. The CMP has three MLAs and it has decided to remain absent from voting. Mr Gehlot said it was fight against communal forces.