Rajya Sabha row: Congress to meet CEC over Natarajan's nomination

A 10-member Congress delegation will meet the CEC after Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination in Madhya Pradesh was rejected. Natarajan slammed the BJP, accusing them of attempting to manipulate the Rajya Sabha elections.

Amid the ongoing row in Madhya Pradesh's political circles following the rejection of Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination, a ten-member party delegation comprising several senior leaders will meet the Chief Election Commissioner to raise the issue.

The delegation, which consists of KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala, Sachin Pilot, Bhupesh Baghel, Deepa Dasmunsi, Vivek Tankha, Meenakshi Natarajan, Muhammad Ali Khan and Omar Hoda, will meet the CEC at 12 pm.

Natarajan Accuses BJP of Manipulation

The nomination of Congress' Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan was rejected on Tuesday, after the electoral authorities found irregularities in her affidavit. Slamming the BJP over the development, Natarajan termed it as an attempt to "manipulate" the Rajya Sabha elections by the party.

Addressing a press conference, she also accused the BJP of having "subverted elections in Madhya Pradesh" earlier. She said the BJP fielded a third candidate despite lacking the requisite numerical strength. "It all began when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party fielded a third candidate despite lacking the requisite numerical strength. It became evident that they were engaging in politics designed to trample upon the Constitution and democracy...They are clearly attempting to manipulate the Rajya Sabha election just as they previously subverted elections in Madhya Pradesh," Natarajan said.

Congress Vows to Fight Decision

Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari said that the party will fight against this decision with all its might. "The Congress party will fight this with all its might...Regarding the legal and election-related allegations arising from these events and the way our legal experts approached the situation, the authorities could not, and cannot, simply dismiss the legal grounds; yet, what occurred was an act of sheer political malice. How an election officer, who also serves as the Legislative Assembly Secretary, gave a political shape to the BJP's agenda," he asked.

The polling for Rajya Sabha biennial elections is slated to take place on June 18. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)