Not my idea to shift Guj Cong MLAs to Bengaluru: Patel to HC

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel Monday told the Gujarat High Court that it was the state party unit's decision, and not his, to shift 44 of its MLAs to a Bengaluru resort ahead of the 2017 Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat.

Patel was cross-examined for the third day by the lawyer of BJP leader Balwantsinh Rajput, who has challenged Patel's election to the Upper House of Parliament.

The cross-examination will continue on Tuesday before Justice Bela Trivedi.

Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain, who is appearing for Rajput in his personal capacity, posed several questions to Patel regarding Congress MLAs being moved to the resort on the night of July 29, 2017, to thwart a possible "poaching" attempt by the BJP ahead of the August 8 polls.

Denying his role, Patel claimed he was not aware of the MLAs being shifted and learnt about it the next day when he read the newspapers.

He said it was the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee's (GPCC) decision and not his.

Patel told the court that