The Congress suffered a major setback in the Rajya Sabha election after Returning Officer Arvind Sharma rejected the nomination of party candidate Meenakshi Natarajan on Tuesday.
The decision came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) challenged her nomination and alleged that she had failed to disclose details of a matter pending before a court in Telangana in her election affidavit.
BJP advocate Sanket Gupta submitted a complaint before the Returning Officer, arguing that Supreme Court judgments and Election Commission guidelines require candidates to disclose all relevant cases and proceedings against them. The BJP claimed that the omission amounted to concealment of facts and sought cancellation of the nomination.
After hearing both sides, the Returning Officer reserved the order and later announced that Natarajan’s nomination had been rejected.
The dispute triggered intense political activity inside the Madhya Pradesh Assembly complex throughout the day. Senior leaders from both the BJP and Congress gathered outside the Returning Officer’s office while the hearing was underway.
Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar rejected the BJP’s allegations and said Natarajan was not facing any criminal case. He argued that she had only received a court notice and that election rules require disclosure of criminal cases, not notices issued by a court.
Congress leaders, including Digvijaya Singh, Jitu Patwari, Umang Singhar and the party’s legal representatives, were present during the proceedings. Natarajan also reached the Assembly complex during the hearing.
There were heated exchanges outside the Returning Officer’s office, with Congress leaders and security personnel arguing over entry into the room. The situation led to commotion in parts of the Assembly premises, although security arrangements remained in place.
The BJP maintained that the pending matter should have been disclosed in the affidavit, while the Congress described the objection as politically motivated.
With the rejection of Natarajan’s nomination, the Rajya Sabha election in Madhya Pradesh has taken a significant political turn, with both parties expected to weigh their next legal and political options.
“The Returning Officer has taken a decision after hearing both sides on the objection raised over the nomination papers.”
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