New Delhi: Jharkhand Congress President Keshav Mahto Kamlesh on Thursday criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging it of following a double standard amid the nomination row of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan in Madhya Pradesh.
The remarks came after the nomination of Congress’s Madhya Pradesh candidate for Rajya Sabha biennial elections, Meenakshi Natrajan, was cancelled after a complaint filed by the BJP alleging a discrepancy in her nomination papers.
Speaking to ANI, Kamlesh underlined that, in contrast to the cancellation of nomination papers of the Congress candidate in Madhya Pradesh, the nomination paper submitted by Parimal Nathwani, the independent candidate, supported by the BJP in Jharkhand, has been found to be valid despite five discrepancies identified in his nomination papers by Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain.
“The Election Commission follows a double standard; people have lost faith in its rules and regulations within our democracy. Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination was instantly cancelled. In Jharkhand, our MLA highlighted four to five discrepancies and submitted a written complaint, yet it was not heard; instead, the opposing party was granted ample time and even allowed to file another affidavit,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hussain said, “Her nomination was cancelled within 15 minutes; it should have been cancelled here in the same way. There, only one error was pointed out, whereas here five errors were pointed out. You win elections by stealing votes, form governments by toppling governments, splitting parties and using Raj Bhavans. Today, five errors have been pointed out, but 24 hours’ time has been given in Jharkhand, while within 15 minutes, the nomination of opposition candidate Meenakshi Natarajan in Madhya Pradesh was cancelled.”
On the same day, a ten-member Congress delegation met with the Election Commission in New Delhi over the rejection of party Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination from Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, with Natarajan’s nomination cancelled, all three Bharatiya Janata Party candidates from Madhya Pradesh–Tarun Chugh, Rajneesh Agarwal and Mahesh Kewat–are set to enter the Rajya Sabha unopposed.