BJP lacks numbers, to indulge in horse-trading: Ashok Gehlot on party backing Subhash Chandra in Rajya Sabha polls

Subhash Chandra on May 31 filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections as an Independent backed by the BJP

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for supporting Subhash Chandra, who filed his nomination from the state for the Rajya Sabha elections as an Independent, saying the party wants to indulge in horse-trading as it does not have the numbers.

The BJP did the same 15 years ago but had to withdraw support because the independent candidate received no votes, the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Chandra on Tuesday filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections as an Independent backed by the BJP. His tenure as a Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana will end on August 1.

Elections to four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan will be held on June 10. The Congress has fielded three candidates -- Mukul Wasnik, Pramod Tiwari and Randeep Singh Surjewala. The BJP has named former minister Ghanshyam Tiwari.

All the candidates filed their nomination papers on Tuesday.

Mr. Gehlot exuded confidence that all the three Congress candidates will win.

"We are going to win three seats. (I) don't know why the BJP has played the game. They did the same 15 years ago but had to announce withdrawal of support because the independent candidate got no votes," the Chief Minister told reporters outside the Assembly building after the Congress candidates filed their nominations.