Jaipur: For the Congress already looking like they could have trouble in Rajasthan, finally may have something to cheer about. One of their biggest rivals, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has lost six of its MLAs in the state to the ruling party.
But is that going to be enough in the coming elections?
All six BSP MLAS in the state have taken a U-turn and joined the Congress. This is a huge relief to state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot whose government so far was five short of a clear majority in the state Assembly.
In recent days, the Congress has been facing serious trouble from Kirori Lal Meena, the leader of a group of five independent MLAs whose support so far was crucial for the Gehlot govt's survival.
"We were trying that the game of selling BSP tickets for money during the Vidhan Sabha elections would not be repeated in the Lok Sabha polls. But the same thing is happening now, so we left," said Rajendra Gupta, BSP MLA now in Congress.
"They don't have any respect for us as MLAs. When they don't listen to us in handing out tickets, what's the point of staying in the party?" said Giriraj Singh, another BSP MLA now in Congress.
The political buzz is that the Congress has lured these MLAs through promises of ministerial berths. But Ashok Gehlot, under pressure since his minister Golma Devi's resignation and her husband Kirori Lal's defiance, has a rather different view.
"They have supported us because they feel that the state can be best served only if the government is strong and stable. So if we now have 102 MLAs, everyone in the state should welcome it," said Ashok Gehlot.
With the Gehlot government getting a clear majority, Kirori Lal Meena's value for the Congress has diminished. And it will be interesting to see how the strongman of the Meena community now reacts to the new equations.
With all its MLAs bolting away, the BSP's name has been wiped out of the Rajasthan Assembly. Clearly the desert terrain is now going to be a lot tougher for Mayawati's elephant to move forward.