Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections was canceled on Tuesday following objections over her failure to disclose court summons issued in connection with a rape case against a Congress leader in Telangana in 2022.
The cancellation, which means all three BJP candidates from the state go to the Rajya Sabha, came even as the Congress was taking precautionary measures to protect its flock amid speculation that Natarajan was not the state unit’s choice and that some lawmakers could vote across party lines against her.
Congress strongly protested against the repeal.
Also Read: Rajya Sabha Elections: Congress MLAs travel to Karnataka amid poaching fears
“They stooped to the point of rejecting her candidacy when they realized that their dirty tricks to compromise our multilateral legal agreements would fail. At every step, they are hell-bent on ‘Korean vote’, one way or the other. We will not give in to this daylight robbery of democracy, and will fight this legally and politically on the streets with all our might,” AICC Secretary General KC Venugopal said.
BJP leader Rahul Kothari filed a complaint on Tuesday afternoon, alleging that the Chief Justice of Hyderabad had summoned Natarajan in the case, but she had concealed the information in her nomination papers. Differences in asset disclosure between the first and second sets of documents have also been reported. Taking these objections into consideration, the returning officer scrutinized the papers and canceled her nomination, a council officer, who requested anonymity, said.
“The court took cognizance of the matter relating to Meenakshi Natarajan. Summons were issued to her to appear; hence, it is established that the case is presently pending before the court. Natarajan also submitted her written statement (reply) before the honorable court in the said matter; therefore, it is established that she has full knowledge of the matter,” said Arvind Sharma, returning officer.
Read Also: Who is Meenakshi Natarajan? Rahul Gandhi’s OG team member is in the middle of the RS nomination line
“As per the directions of the Election Commission of India, the charges against Meenakshi Natarajan in relation to filing of incomplete affidavit (Form 26) and concealment of facts by the candidate have been substantiated,” Sharma added.
In 2022, a Congress member filed a complaint against a party leader in Telangana, accusing him of rape and cheating. She also alleged that Natarajan, who was then the party’s state in-charge, failed to act. The CJM later summoned Natarajan in 2023, to which she filed a reply.
Reacting to the cancellation, Congress leader and lawyer Vivek Tanka said, “No criminal case has been registered. Only a notice showing cause of action has been received.” $A compensation of 10 crores should not be filed against her and others. Meenakshi Ji’s lawyer responded to this notice. No FIR has been filed.
Also read: EC to meet Congress delegation over rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination on Wednesday
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Umang Sengar, announced that the party would challenge the decision in court, calling it “another dark chapter in the BJP’s killing of democracy.”
But BJP leader and state minister Kailash Vijayvargiya welcomed the repeal: “Justice has prevailed. BJP’s Mahesh Kivat has received Ram Lalla’s blessings. Even if elections had been held, he would have become a Rajya Sabha MP.”
He further claimed that Congress insiders had provided the BJP with documents related to the Telangana issue.
That the matter is afoot in the state became evident when the BJP fielded three candidates in the state instead of two. The party needed the support of nine additional council members to secure the third seat.
On Tuesday afternoon, Congress members gathered at Umang Sengar’s residence ahead of a planned trip 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. Sajjan Verma, a senior Congress leader, alleged a conspiracy: “The BJP is abusing its power. They parked the plane on the runway for three hours.”
Also Read: BJP fields third Rajya Sabha candidate in Madhya Pradesh contest
But the cancellation of Natarajan’s nomination meant the plane never took off. Sengar, former CM Digvijaya Singh, and other Congress leaders rushed from the airport to the Legislative Council. They staged a protest outside the returning officer’s room, accusing the BJP of committing a crime.
A Rajya Sabha candidate needs 58 votes to win in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh state assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party has 164 MPs and supports Congress defector Nirmala Sapre. He is comfortably positioned to win two seats.
The Congress has 62 legislators after the Madhya Pradesh High Court annulled the election of Mukesh Malhotra due to failure to declare criminal cases in his election affidavit. Rajendra Bharti, another Congress lawmaker, was disqualified after being found guilty of fraud.
The biennial elections will be held on June 18 for 24 Rajya Sabha seats in 10 states, with the BJP-led NDA seeking a two-thirds majority in the Upper House. The BJP is the largest party with 113 members (including five nominated legislators).
The National Democratic Rally holds 149 seats in the 245-member House of Representatives.
