Gandhinagar, Aug 9
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel on Wednesday said that Election Commission's decision to reject the votes of the two rebel Congress MLAs was "wrong" and the party may take legal action against it.
"I believe they already had plans since yesterday (Monday) to make this fabricated story and conspiracy. Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil had seen the CD himself also and knows that he stood up in anger.
"Shaktisinh Gohil Ji was angry when MLA (Raghavji Bhai Patel) showed him his vote, he was visibly angry. He tried to snatch the ballot paper. He even asked the MLA to show it twice and held his hand. This is against law," Nitinbhai Patel told reporters after the decision.
"The decision is sad. If the CD of voting is made public, not just us the whole nation will say the decision is wrong," he added.
Patel also said: "Our polling agent raised the issue immediately but we thought it is for EC to decide further on it. I demand EC to make CD public. If required we will take legal action."
"Our election agent was not shown in the CD. Moreover the two MLAs have not shown their vote to our agent. The votes of Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil were not shown to anyone. The original CD should be made public," he added.
Patel also accused Congress High Command of putting pressure on the EC. "EC did not take a practical decision. They should review their decision. People should see the CD and they should decide," Patel added.
The Election Commission on Tuesday night ordered rejection of the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections, giving a new twist to the outcome involving Congress President's political secretary Ahmed Patel.
The two rebel Congress MLAs are Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil.
Money and muscle can never defeat truth: Congress
Welcoming the Election Commission's decision to reject the votes of the two rebel Congress MLAs, Congress on Wednesday said "money power and muscle power can never defeat truth".
"Truth has emerged victorious in spite of BJP using all the power. Ahmed Patel will win," said Congress spokseperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
"They can put pressure on constitutional institutions but they should understand that money power and muscle power can never defeat truth. Truth will emerge victorious," he added.
Surjewala further said: "Today on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement nothing can be more apt reply than this decision."
"We were confident yesterday, we are confident even today that truth will emerge victorious," he added.
Ahmad Patel welcomes EC's order
Congress leader Ahmed Patel, one of the candidates in the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat late on Tuesday, welcomed the Election Commission's order rejecting the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs.
"I appreciate the order of the Election Commission. It will boost the morale of the Congress workers," he said, reacting to the commission's order.
Asked about the order and its implications, Patel said "it will bring down the quota needed to win the election".
To further questions he said "lets wait for the results to come".
