Two Gujarat Congress MLAs resign ahead of Rajya Sabha polls

Congress MLAs Akshay Patel and Jitu Chaudhary have resigned

A view of the Gujarat Assembly building in Gandhinagar. File

Gujarat Congress legislators Akshay Patel and Jitu Chaudhary have tendered their resignation in a major blow to the party ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls for four seats scheduled to be held on June 19 in the State.

So far, seven legislators have resigned from the party, bringing its tally down to 66 in the Assembly.

The Opposition party has fielded Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki for two seats while the BJP has fielded three candidates for the four seats.

Now with reduced numbers, the Congress is likely to see only one leader of it making it to the Rajya Sabha while BJP is likely to retain all the three seats it held.

“Congress MLAs Jitu Chaudhary and Akshay Patel have resigned from the House,” said Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi said in a statement.