New Delhi: In a major relief to embattled Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Ahmed Patel, 42 Gujarat Congress MLAs, holed up at a luxury resort 25km from Bengaluru, have put up a show of unity by extending their support to him. His nomination has created a storm in the party unit.

National spokesperson of Congress and Gujarat MLA Shaktisinh Gohil claimed that BJP came up with an "irresistible offer" - Rs 15 crore to each MLA, a party ticket in Gujarat polls and funds to contest. "The BJP has resorted to low-level politics and is using money, muscle and state machinery to win polls," he said.

Congress spokesperson Shaktsinh Gohil said, "We've unanimously decided to stand by the party, and not allow BJP murder democracy." The party had, on July 28, flown 44 of its MLAs into Bengaluru to stop them from switching over to BJP. 

The Congress has "paraded" 42 legislators backing Ahmed Patel before the media, at a resort close to the one where they have been staying since Friday, following criticism that the party is holding the MLAs hostage.

Kaminiben B Rathore, MLA of Dahegam in Gandhinagar, who is here with her family, alleged that she, too, had received the offer of Rs 15 crore from the BJP but had rejected it.

Gohil claimed the numbers are in their favour as they have managed to establish contact with six of the seven legislators who resigned from the party to join BJP.

"In the 182-member Gujarat assembly, we have guaranteed support of 57 members, though we need 47 to elect Ahmed Patel," he said, ruling out any possibility of cross-voting.