Setback for Mayawati as all 6 MLAs in Rajasthan join Congress

Jaipur: In huge setback for Mayawati, all six members of the Rajasthan Assembly, belonging to the Bahujan Samaj Party, joined Congress late on Monday.

Rajendra Gudd, Jogendra Singh Awana, Wajib Ali, Lakhan Singh Meena, Sandeep Yadav and Deepchand Kheria have joined the Congress.

The MLAs, who had been in touch with state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, met Assembly Speaker CP Joshi and submitted a letter informing him about their decision to join the Congress.

"We took a decision in order to fight against communal forces and to work for the development of the state and stability of the government. Ashok ji is the best Chief Minister and no one can be better than him for Rajasthan. I was impressed with his style of working and polity," Udaipurwati lawmaker Rajendra Gudd told news agency ANI.

Nadbai MLA Jogendra Singh Awana said that it was difficult for them to support Congress from outside.

"We have given our resignations letter and also met CP Joshi ji and Ashok ji today. There were several challenges in front of us. On one hand, we were supporting Congress for the development of the state and on the other, we were fighting against them in elections. We all gave a thought to it. We took a decision in favour of the state," he said.

In the Rajasthan assembly elections last year, Congress had won on 100 seats. Besides the support of BSP, which has 6 MLAs, Congress had also received the support of 12 out of a total of 13 independent MLAs.

However in March this year, all 12 independent MLAs had joined Congress taking party's tally in the state to 112.