EC rejects Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination; Congress cries foul

THe nomination of united states congress prospect Meenakshi Natarajan for the Rajya Sabha election was cancelled on tues after objections that she failed to expose a margaret court summons issued in connection with a rape case filed against a Congress leader in Telangana in 2022.The cancellation, which means that all three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates from the state go through to the Rajya Sabha, came even as the Congress was taking precautionary measures to protect its flock amidst speculation that Natarajan was not the state unit’s choice and that some legislators could vote across party lines against her.The cancellation was strongly protested by the Congress.Also Read: Rajya Sabha elections: Congress to fly MP MLAs to Karnataka amid poaching fears“They stooped so low as to reject her nomination when they realised that their dirty tricks to compromise our MLAs is going to fail. At every step, they are hell-bent on ‘vote chori’, one way or another. We will not take this daylight robbery of democracy lying down, and will fight this legally as well as politically on the streets tooth-and-nail,” said KC Venugopal, general secretary, AICC.BJP leader Rahul Kothari lodged a complaint on Tuesday afternoon, alleging that the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Hyderabad had summoned Natarajan in the case, but she had concealed the information in her nomination papers. Discrepancies were also flagged in the disclosure of assets between the first and second sets of documents. Taking these objections into account, the returning officer scrutinised the papers and cancelled her candidature, said an officer of assembly, who asked not to be named.“The court has taken cognisance of the matter concerning Meenakshi Natarajan. Summons have been issued for her to appear; thus, it is established that the case is currently pending before the Court. Natarajan has also filed her written statement (reply) before the Honorable Court in the said matter; therefore, it is established that she possesses full knowledge of this case,” said Arvind Sharma, returning officer.Also Read: Who is Meenakshi Natarajan? Rahul Gandhi's OG team member at centre of RS nomination row“In accordance with the directives of the Election Commission of India, the charges against Meenakshi Natarajan regarding the submission of an incomplete Affidavit (Form 26) and the concealment of facts by the candidate stand proven,” added Sharma.In 2022, a Congress worker filed a complaint against a party leader in Telangana, accusing him of rape and cheating. She also alleged that Natarajan, then in charge of the party in the state, failed to act. The CJM later summoned Natarajan in 2023, to which she filed a reply.Reacting to the cancellation, Congress leader and advocate Vivek Tankha said, “No criminal case has been registered. Only a notice has been received stating why proceedings for ₹10 crore compensation should not be initiated against her and others. Meenakshi ji’s lawyer has responded to this notice. No FIR has been filed.”Also Read: EC to meet Congress delegation over rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination on WednesdayCongress leader and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Umang Singhar announced that the party will challenge the decision in court, calling it “another dark chapter in the BJP’s murder of democracy.”But BJP leader and state minister Kailash Vijayvargiya welcomed the cancellation:  “Justice has prevailed. BJP’s Mahesh Kevat has received the blessings of Ram Lalla. Even if an election had taken place, he would have become a Rajya Sabha MP.”He further claimed that Congress insiders had provided the BJP with documents related to the Telangana case.That something was afoot in the state became evident when , instead of two candidates, the BJP fielded three candidates in the state. The party required the support of nine additional assembly members to secure the third seat.On Tuesday afternoon, Congress MLAs gathered at Umang Singhar’s residence ahead of a planned flight to Congress-ruled Karnataka to prevent possible poaching. The first flight, scheduled for 2.30 pm, faced a three-hour delay due to clearance issues, leaving 38 MLAs, their families, and staff stranded. Senior Congress leader Sajjan Verma alleged a conspiracy: “BJP is misusing its power. They stopped the plane on the runway for three hours.”Also Read: BJP fields third Rajya Sabha candidate in Madhya Pradesh contestBut the cancellation of Natarajan’s candidature meant the plane never took off. Singhar, former CM Digvijaya Singh, and other Congress leaders rushed from the airport to the legislative assembly. They staged a protest outside the returning officer’s room, accusing the BJP of foul play.A Rajya Sabha candidate requires 58 votes to win in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly. The BJP has 164 lawmakers and defected Congress lawmaker Nirmala Sapre’s support. It is comfortably placed to win two seats.The Congress has 62 lawmakers after the Madhya Pradesh high court cancelled Mukesh Malhotra’s election over the failure to declare criminal cases in his poll affidavit. Rajendra Bharti, another Congress lawmaker, was disqualified following a fraud conviction.The June 18 biennial elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states are being held as the BJP-led NDA seeks the two-thirds majority mark in the Upper House. The BJP is the single-largest party with 113 members (including five nominated lawmakers).The NDA has 149 seats in the 245-member House.