Two Congress MLAs in Gujarat resigned on Thursday, dashing the party’s hopes of getting two stalwarts — Bharatsinh Solanki and Shaktisinh Gohil — elected to the Rajya Sabha in polls scheduled on June 19.

Following the resignation of Akshay Patel and Jitu Chaudhary, the Congress now has only 66 MLAs and either Gohil or Solanki can win while the BJP will snatch an additional seat.

Congress has accused the BJP of plotting these defections. Asked if it exposes the poor political management of the Congress, a senior Gujarat leader said: “It is difficult for the poor MLAs to stand up to the blackmails and temptations that are being deployed by the BJP.”

Senior leader Ahmed Patel tweeted: “Isn’t Gujarat government the only one in the world where: 1) Government has abandoned people in the middle of a global pandemic? 2) Refused to fund train fare for poor migrants? 3) But leaves no stone unturned to fund horse-trading activities for a Rajya Sabha election ?”

Patel represented Karjan seat of Vadodara while Chaudhary won from Kaprada seat of Valsad.