New Delhi : The Congress party has escalated its accusations of 'seat chori' and collusion between the Election Commission and the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls, following the Supreme Court's dismissal of Meenakshi Natarajan's plea against the rejection of her nomination.
Seat chori has taken place: Meenakshi Natarajan
The Supreme Court dismissed Meenakshi Natarajan's plea challenging the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination, granting her liberty to raise the challenge in an election petition.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the rejection of Natarajan's nomination was 'illegal, immoral and anti-democratic' and part of a conspiracy by PM Modi to undermine the Congress.
Kharge accused the Election Commission of partiality, citing different treatment for a BJP-backed independent candidate in Jharkhand who was allowed to rectify nomination errors. Meenakshi Natarajan asserted that 'seat chori' was apparent and expressed concern over repeated 'shocks that democracy is receiving'.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy likened the BJP's actions to the 'Kim Jong Un-model' of elections, alleging 'seat chori' in the Rajya Sabha polls.
Even as the Supreme Court dismissed its leader Meenakshi Natarajan's plea challenging the rejection of her nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls, the Congress on Friday doubled down on its allegations of collusion between the Election Commission and the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying it was apparent to everyone that the seat was stolen.
The Supreme Court dismissed Natarajan's plea against rejection of her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh while granting her liberty to raise the challenge in an election petition.
A bench comprising justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Atul S Chandurkar rejected the argument by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Natarajan, that Article 32 can be invoked to cure 'glaring and manifest' errors in the rejection of her nomination.
Congress Alleges Conspiracy and Partiality : Responding to a question on the Supreme Court dismissing Natarajan's plea, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru that the party would follow the Supreme Court's directive.
"As per the Supreme Court, the first appeal before the Election Commission, then the high court and later the Supreme Court. But this is a special case, considering the amount of time consumed will delay in this case. So we wanted the Supreme Court to give relief. We will follow the Supreme Court directive and go to the High Court," he said.
Kharge said the rejection of Natarajan's nomination was 'illegal, immoral and anti-democratic'.
"This wouldn't have happened without the direction of PM Modi, this is such a big thing. Modi is purposely doing this as part of a conspiracy to finish Congress party, democracy. He has ensured his people are everywhere. People who like him are made returning officers and they are made to do such things (rejecting opposition candidate nominations)," he alleged.
Pointing out that the BJP-backed independent candidate in Jharkhand, Parimal Nathwani, is an industrialist, the All India Congress Committee chief said, "A person who does not have majority support is a candidate. This means, purchase or divide votes to elect a corporate agent."
"We don't want the Home Minister, Prime Minister and their people interfering in a democracy. I'm not saying that the Prime Minister himself is doing it, but they have ensured their people are in positions at all places. RSS agents are everywhere, especially where the BJP is in power, they disregard laws, rules, and regulations, acting according to their own will, and they reject (nominations)," he alleged.
Stating that the Congress had raised objections, accusing Nathwani of providing false and incomplete information in the affidavit attached to his nomination papers, Kharge said, "But he was given time and allowed to rectify (by election officials), but on the other hand, the nomination (of the Congress candidate) in Madhya Pradesh was rejected the same evening. Is this democracy? Is this impartial?"
This shows that the Election Commission is not acting impartially, he further said, urging, "Go by the rules, follow the Constitution. They (BJP) are violating rules and the Constitution. By ensuring that their people are placed in all positions, they are harassing the opposition."
With the Supreme Court dismissing her plea, Natarajan said it was apparent to everyone that 'seat chori' had taken place and asserted that 'we are ready to fight'.
Natarajan said it is not a question about 'personal defeat' but more worrisome are the 'shocks that democracy is repeatedly receiving'.
Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader said, "The shocks that democracy is receiving repeatedly, we are worried about that. This is not a question of personal defeat."
Asked whether she will approach the high court, she said, "I will not decide this, my party will decide. I was a party candidate and whatever the party and its leaders decide, we follow."
"We are ready to fight, the whole party is together what could be better than that... Seat chori is very apparent and it is before everyone. It is seat chori, everybody knows that. We all know that there is one law for a person from the corporate world and another for those fighting for constitutional principles," Natarajan said.
She said while party will decide the next move and added that 'we are free to go to people's court and will do that'.
On the Supreme Court ruling, she said, "We will see the order of the court and only then I can comment. What I understand that they stated that there is an election petition for this." Natarajan also alleged that the Election Commission is "compromised and complicit."
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy also attacked the BJP over the issue, alleging that it has now adopted the 'Kim Jong Un-model' for indulging in 'seat chori' in Rajya Sabha elections.
The chief minister also dubbed the top BJP leadership and the Returning Officer in Madhya Pradesh as 'conspirators' in cancelling the nomination papers of Natarajan.
Reddy alleged that after BJP failed to do 'vote chori' in the Rajya Sabha election in Madhya Pradesh, it indulged in 'seat chori' by using the returning officer, whose decision to cancel Natarajan's candidature was a 'blatant mistake'.
"North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un seems to have become the role model of the BJP these days as it has adopted his model. The BJP model these days is that of Kim Jong Un, where there is only one symbol in elections in North Korea and the BJP has done the same here in Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections," Revanth Reddy told reporters.
