After MP defeat, Congress focuses on Raj, Gujarat RS polls

With the exit of the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh led by Kamal Nath after it was reduced to a minority, the party is trying hard to keep its flock together.

Congress is focussing on the Rajya Sabha elections to win two seats each in Gujarat and Rajasthan where BJP has put up extra candidate in both the states.

Congress observer for Gujarat B.K. Hariprasad said that "we have calculated the votes according to our strength and we are confident to win both the seats in the state."

The party saw an exodus of five MLAs in the state after the BJP fielded Narhari Amin, a former Congressmen in the Rajya Sabha elections and now the second seat is also tough for the Congress. The party has fielded Bharatsinh Solanki and Shaktisinh Gohil.

The party has given first seat to Gohil and the second seat is Solanki who has to manage votes from the other MLAs the party is confident of getting the vote of Jignesh Mewani and Chhotu Vasava both are independent and one NCP MLA.

Congress sources say that the "goodwill of Madhavsinh Solanki the former chief minister will get votes for his son who was Union minister during the UPA regime.

The Congress has a tough task in Rajasthan where the BJP has propped another candidate Onkar Singh Lakhawat enabling contest in the RS polls,the party has fielded K.C. Venugopal the powerful general secretary in-charge of the organisation and Neeraj Daangi but the BJP is optimistic.

All is not well in Rajasthan where relations between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot are not good but the Congress insider said that "the gap is wider in the state so there is less chance of Scindia like coup in the state."

Sachin Pilot has already thwarted attempts by Ashok Gehlot for fielding a diamond merchant Rajiv Arora for the upper house polls. IANS