EC’s decision wrong, may take legal action: Gujarat Dy CM

Gandhinagar, Aug 9 (IANS) 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.