Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha election: Meenakshi Natarajan nomination rejected over Form 26 affidavit

Ahead of the June 18 Rajya Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh, returning officer Arvind Sharma rejected Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination, citing an incomplete Form 26 affidavit that allegedly omitted a court complaint. BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat had raised the objection. Congress called the decision undemocratic and said it would challenge it in court.

The June 18 Rajya Sabha election for three seats in Madhya Pradesh saw fresh controversy on Tuesday. Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan had the nomination rejected during scrutiny. Returning officer Arvind Sharma cited problems in the affidavit. The decision changed the contest, where parties were preparing for voting by the state Assembly.

In the order, Arvind Sharma said the records showed an incomplete Form 26 affidavit. The order said a court complaint was not mentioned. An official of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly said BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat had raised the objection. The official said arguments from both sides were heard before the rejection.

Rajya Sabha elections: Congress calls decision "seat theft\"

The Congress described the rejection as \"murder of democracy\" and said it would move court. Leaders did not say if the case would go to the Madhya Pradesh High Court or the Supreme Court. Senior advocate and Congress Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha said the party should approach the Supreme Court directly.

Meenakshi Natarajan told reporters the BJP lacked numbers to win a third seat. Meenakshi Natarajan said the BJP still pushed ahead, calling it an attack on democracy. Meenakshi Natarajan said, \"Until now, the issue was limited to vote theft, but now its a seat theft... When they felt that the Congress MLAs were united, they resorted to the legal notice issue.\"

Meenakshi Natarajan also said, \"We will challenge it nomination rejection.\" Vivek Tankha echoed the \"seat theft\" charge. Vivek Tankha said he checked the nomination papers personally. Vivek Tankha said no item was hidden that needed disclosure under the rules.

Rajya Sabha elections: BJP says affidavit hid Telangana case

BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat welcomed the decision and described it as a win for facts. Mahesh Kewat said, \"the truth has clearly won.\" Mahesh Kewat added, \"Those who hid the truth have lost.\" BJP leaders said the objection followed the set legal process.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav backed the returning officer’s decision. Mohan Yadav said the Congress candidate concealed details of a criminal case. Mohan Yadav said the Congress should introspect. State minister Kailash Vijayvargiya called it a victory for justice. Kailash Vijayvargiya said the BJP used constitutional procedures while filing the objection.

Sanket Gupta, the lawyer for Mahesh Kewat, spoke in the Assembly premises. Sanket Gupta said a criminal case was pending in a Telangana court. Sanket Gupta said the affidavit did not mention this detail. Sanket Gupta said Supreme Court guidelines require disclosure of criminal cases.

Rajya Sabha elections: Tankha disputes need for disclosure

Vivek Tankha said, \"There was no FIR registered against her Natarajan. There was only a notice under Section 223 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, in which an applicant claimed that she and others should be paid compensation of Rs 10 crore. Meenakshi Natarajan objected to that notice, stating that it could not be sent to her because she had no connection to the case.\"

Vivek Tankha said, \"No crime was registered, no FIR was filed, and no legal case was pending. So, what was declared an FIR or a judicial case? The mere issuance of a notice by a court does not in itself establish a case or a crime.\" Vivek Tankha said the rejection was based on an unusual situation without a legal case.

Vivek Tankha said, \"This is extremely sad. This is murder of democracy.\" Vivek Tankha also said, \"This entire matter must be exposed and those responsible should also be exposed. If this practice of rejecting nomination papers begins in a democracy, then democracy will cease to exist in this country. This will be the beginning of the end of democracy.\"

Rajya Sabha elections: protests in Bhopal and New Delhi

The Congress protested outside the Election Commission office in Bhopal. State Congress president Jitu Patwari said MLAs and leaders would hold a hunger strike. The protest was planned for Wednesday in Bhopal and district headquarters. Separately, senior Congress leaders went to the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi.

In New Delhi, the leaders were denied entry and then sat in protest at the main gate. Meanwhile, the election schedule moved ahead. Elections for the three Rajya Sabha seats are set for June 18. Monday June 8 was the last date for nominations, and scrutiny began on Tuesday.

Rajya Sabha elections: numbers in Madhya Pradesh Assembly

Of the three vacant seats, the BJP was expected to win two. The Congress had an advantage for the third seat based on numbers. The BJP named General Secretary Tarun Chugh and state unit secretary Rajneesh Agarwal. The BJP also fielded Madhya Pradesh Fishermen Welfare Board Chairman Mahesh Kewat for the third seat.

The 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly forms the Electoral College for the Rajya Sabha polls. The effective strength is 229, based on the official note. A candidate needs 58 first-preference votes to win. With Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination rejected, the Congress said it would fight the decision in court.

With inputs from PTI