Rahul Gandhi should Apologize After SC Rejects Natarajan's Plea: BJP

During the hearing on Friday, the top court said that once a candidate's nomination is rejected by the returning officer, the only remedy available is to approach the Election Commission.

In a post on X, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the episode exposes infighting within the opposition party and accused Gandhi of playing the "victim card".

"After Supreme Court's rejection of Natarajan's plea, Rahul Gandhi should apologize to the people of India," he said.

The BJP spokesperson claimed that Gandhi's "own house is not in order" and alleged that his preferred candidate is defeated because of rivalry within the Congress.

Bhandari also alleged that the Congress government in Telangana facilitated the defeat of the party's candidate and accused Gandhi of repeatedly portraying himself as a victim.

"His own government in Telangana facilitated defeat of Congress candidate; Rahul should stop over playing the 'victim card'. Even Congress workers are bored of it; can see through it," he said.

Claiming that the developments have exposed divisions within the Congress, Bhandari said, "The only truth is: Congress defeats Rahul Gandhi's Rajya Sabha candidate nominee." Another BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called the court's decision a "huge slap" for the Congress and alleged that the party seeks to create doubts about constitutional bodies.

"This is a Supreme slap for the Congress party. It is a huge setback for them," he said in a video statement.

Claiming that the Congress has repeatedly targeted institutions, Poonawalla said, "The Congress is constantly trying to create an atmosphere against constitutional institutions. They claimed the Election Commission was wrong and accused it of stealing seats. Will they now say the verdict has been stolen as well?" "The Supreme Court has categorically rejected the allegations being made by the Congress party and its ecosystem. The Congress must introspect. Why did Meenakshi Natarajan does not disclose details of the case against her?" he said.

Poonawalla also alleged that infighting within the Congress was responsible for the episode.

"Why did leaders from the Telangana Congress and the Madhya Pradesh Congress come together to defeat Rahul Gandhi's preferred candidate? Why is the Congress party so deeply divided? Instead of introspection, it is indulging in a blame game," he said.

He accused the Congress of routinely attacking institutions whenever electoral or political outcomes do not go its way.

"The Congress has spent its entire political life making the same mistake. The dust was always on its own face, yet it kept cleaning the mirror. The party must realize that what has happened is not seat theft but leadership failure," he said.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Poonawalla added, "Rahul Gandhi is not a leader whom people take seriously or wish to follow. Whenever Rahul Gandhi loses, the Congress claims that the Constitution has lost, constitutional institutions have failed and democracy is under threat. This narrative against India must stop." The Congress had nominated Natarajan as its sole candidate for the June 18 Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh.

However, Returning Officer Sanjay Sharma rejected her nomination on Tuesday, saying she had concealed information about a court complaint filed against her in Telangana in Form 26 submitted along with her nomination papers.

On Thursday, Sharma declared the three BJP candidates -- Tarun Chugh, Rajneesh Agarwal and Mahesh Kewat -- elected unopposed from Madhya Pradesh, even as Natarajan moved the Supreme Court against the rejection of her nomination