Senior Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav today congratulated Congress leader Ahmed Patel on winning the Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat, something that had turned into a prestige battle between the top leadership of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“Heartiest congratulations on your victory in Rajya Sabha election in spite of toughest hurdles. Wish you all success in your career,” he tweeted.
Yadav's greetings to Patel assumes significance because the JD(U) had asked its lone MLA in Gujarat, Chhotu Vasava, to vote in favour of BJP's Balwantsinh Rajput. However, Vasava said that he voted for Congress' nominee Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha polls as the ruling BJP has done little for the tribal people and the poor.
Meanwhile, Patel has expressed his gratitude towards Sharad Yadav. "Thank you for your support Sharad ji," Patel tweeted.
Yadav’s tweet also comes at a time when the party has forged ties with the BJP in Bihar to form government, something that apparently did not go down well with him.
And there have been repurcussions too. Last night, the JD(U) had sacked Arun Shrivastav, considered a close confidante of Yadav, from the post of party general secretary for ‘unauthorisedly’ writing to the Returning Officer of Gujarat Assembly appointing an election agent for the crucial Rajya Sabha election there.
