3of 22 Congress MLAs slip out of Rajasthan resort, return to Gujarat

JAIPUR: Three of the 22 Gujarat Congress MLAs, who were kept at a resort in Abu Road in Rajasthan ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled for June 19, left for their home state early on Tuesday. They left in the pretext of going out to offer prayers at the nearby Ambaji temple.
The MLAs had not returned till reports last came in. Congress leaders from Sirohi, who were overseeing the Gujarat lawmakers’ stay at Abu Road, hinted that the remaining 19 MLAs may be shifted to a hotel in Jaipur. Sources told TOI that these MLAs have been going out to pray in temples and meet their local contacts since they had arrived on Sunday.
“The three MLAs left saying they wanted to visit the Ambaji temple. Since a few MLAs visited the same temple on Monday for a darshan from outside the temple, those guarding the three could not appre hend their move,” said a source.
The co-ordinators began looking for them when they were not seen during lunch. “Initially, they didn’t respond to calls. Later, Kalol MLA Baldev Thakor informed that he had headed home due to some personal reason. He said he was not aware of the other two,” the source added.
Thakor told TOI that he would return to Abu Road after two days as he is undergoing a physiotherapy session for his cervical problem. He later changed his statement and said: “I have not been to Abu Road due to poor health and will join my colleagues in the next two days.” His name was among the list of those MLAs who came from Gujarat.