Half-a-dozen ruling Congress MLAs are under the scanner for allegedly changing their preferences for second candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections. The Opposition BJP also got stunned when two of its votes were rejected. According to sources, three Independent MLAs supporting the Congress cast their vote in favour of the BJP.
“All party MLAs had cast their votes as per party guidelines for first preference. If there is an issue for second preferences, we will check it,” chief minister Ashok Gehlot told mediapersons in Jaipur on Friday. The two votes of the BJP were rejected and the party was probing the matter.
According to sources, all 102 ruling Congress MLAs cast their votes in favour of Union minister Anand Sharma and Ashq Ali Tak. But seven Congress members changed their second preferences and voted for the BJP. “It could be by mistake. We are looking into the matter,” says a Congress leader. “We missed the opportunity to unite against communal forces,” said Mr Gehlot.