With the BJP's big strength in the Gujarat assembly, Mr Shah is assured of an easy win.
The Rajya Sabha election for three seats in Gujarat, where assembly polls are due later this year, is being closely watched as BJP national president Amit Shah will make his parliament debut, Union minister Smriti Irani has been renominated for another term and the Congress has put up its heavyweight Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term.
The battle is set against the backdrop of dramatic political developments including the revolt in the Congress by veteran leader Shankarsinh Vaghela, resignation of half a dozen party legislators and shifting of 43 MLAs to a Bengaluru resort to protect them from what the Congress has called as "poaching" attempts by the BJP. Mr Shah is camping in Gujarat and strategising on how to make all the three BJP candidates emerge victorious.
With the BJP's big strength in the Gujarat assembly, Mr Shah is assured of an easy win. Mr Shah doesn't plan to resign as party president after he is elected to the Rajya Sabha. Asked if he would join the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet, he said, "I'm happy being the BJP president. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be preparing for the 2019 general elections."
Mr Patel needs 45 votes to win. His party at present has support of 44 legislators, who have returned to Gujrat after camping in a resort near Bengaluru for over a week.
On their return this morning, they have been put up in another resort in the state's Anand district. Even if none of them cross-votes or uses None of the Above (NOTA) option, the Congress will require one additional vote to ensure Mr Patel's victory.
Apart from Mr Shah and Ms Irani, the BJP has fielded Balwantsinh Rajput, who recently quit the Congress to join the ruling party. The Congress is expecting support from two NCP legislators and one each from JD(U) and Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP). However, NCP leader Praful Patel yesterday said his party had not yet decided on extending support to any particular party in these polls.
Chotubhai Vasava, a JD(U) legislator, has been saying that he will only support those who will bring something to his constituency. The Congress is also hoping to win back a few of its seven legislators, out of its total 51 in the state assembly, who didn't go to Bengaluru and are believed to be close to the Vaghela camp.
Before Mr Vaghela broke ranks, the Congress had 57 MLAs in the 182-member House. Six of its legislators subsequently resigned bringing down the party's tally to 51 and the effective strength of the house to 176.