Congress approached the Election Commission alleging Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination was unlawfully cancelled.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi said no legally established criminal case existed against Natarajan that required disclosure.
The BJP defended the move, while the cancellation effectively clears the way for all BJP Rajya Sabha candidates from Madhya Pradesh.
A delegation of Indian National Congress leaders met Election Commission officials on Wednesday, alleging that the cancellation of Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh was “illegal” and politically motivated.
Following the meeting, senior Congress leaders Abhishek Manu Singhvi and K. C. Venugopal addressed the media and demanded that the Election Commission reverse the Returning Officer’s decision.
Singhvi described the cancellation as “egregious and blatantly unlawful”, arguing that there was no legally established criminal case against Natarajan that required disclosure in her nomination papers.
Congress Alleges ‘Partisan’ Decision
Explaining the party’s position, Singhvi said the Returning Officer rejected the nomination citing a pending criminal matter linked to a private complaint in Hyderabad.
However, he argued that no cognisance had yet been taken by the court and therefore no criminal case legally existed against Natarajan.
“There is no criminal case that actually exists in law, that is established, that she could have disclosed,” Singhvi said.
He also termed the Returning Officer’s action “poor and absolutely partisan”.
Venugopal said the Congress delegation had submitted a detailed representation before the Election Commission, asserting that allegations of concealment or non-disclosure were “complete humbug”.
He added that the party had been assured the matter would be examined by the Commission.
BJP Defends Cancellation
The controversy erupted after Natarajan’s nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny over alleged non-disclosure in her affidavit.
Rahul Kothari had reportedly filed a complaint claiming that Natarajan failed to mention summons issued by a Chief Judicial Magistrate in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav defended the cancellation and accused the Congress leader of concealing a criminal record.
With her nomination cancelled, all three Bharatiya Janata Party candidates from Madhya Pradesh are now set to enter the Rajya Sabha unopposed.
