New Delhi: Congress leader Ahmed Patel today expressed his gratitude towards JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, whose party had supported the BJP but its lone MLA voted for Patel in the Rajya Sabha poll.

MLA Chhotu Vasava is known to be close to Yadav, a former party chief. His vote proved crucial in Patel’s win as he got 44 votes, the minimum number required to win with the first preference votes in reduced quota situation.

The JD(U) had wanted Vasava to vote its new ally BJP and its leader K C Tyagi had said that he did vote for the party but the legislator later asserted that he had voted for Patel as he slammed his party president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the alliance.

“Thank you for your support Sharad ji,” Patel tweeted.

His tweet came after Yadav congratulated him on his win “in spite of toughest hurdles”.

Yadav had come out against Kumar’s decision to ally with the BJP.

In a sign of the party cracking the whip against its office-bearers sympathetic to Yadav over the issue, it had yesterday relieved its general secretary Arun Srivastav of his post, accusing him of appointing an election agent for the Rajya Sabha polls without due authorisation.

He is seen as a longtime supporter of Yadav.

Patel had beaten the BJP nominee in a bitterly fought election after late night dramatic developments saw the Election Commission reject the votes of two dissident MLAs of the main opposition party for violating electoral rules.