Ahmed Patel confident of victory in Rajya Sabha battle

Anand (Gujarat): Veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Monday expressed confidence of winning Tuesday's Rajya Sabha election despite accusing the Gujarat's ruling BJP of hatching a conspiracy against him.

In a rare appearance before the media, Patel said: "Besides the 44 legislators (who were flown to Bengaluru), we have the support of Janata Dal-United, Nationalist Congress Party and (rebel leader) Shankersinh Vaghela."

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Asked about allegations of surveillance on him and Congress MLAs, he asserted that he was not surprised. "This is the example of a banana republic.

"I have full confidence in my victory tomorrow despite the BJP's attempts and the numbers will surprise everyone," Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, told reporters at a private resort near Anand where the 44 MLAs have been kept.