Before the arrival of the party MLAs, Solanki said that the security arrangements, though, seemed proper, they would be assured only if the MLAs safely reach to the state assembly on August 8- the day when Rajya Sabha polls will be held. "If Rahul Gandhi was attacked even after SPG protection, then what can we expect in Gujarat?" He said that Congress and NSUI workers will also escort MLAs until the voting is done.The Rajya Sabha poll in Gujarat involves three parliamentary seats and contestants need to secure 44 votes to win. More defection or cross-voting would possibly ruin Patel's prospects.The 44 Congress MLAs had gone to Bengaluru on July 28 after the party was hit by a spree of defections in Gujarat. They were lodged in the resort, some 30km from Bengaluru, and hosted by Karnataka energy minister D K Shivakumar and his brother and Congress MP D K Suresh.

Source: Times of India August 06, 2017 23:51 UTC