Staff Reporters
New Delhi/Bhopal
The Congress intensified its protest campaign on Tuesday after the rejection of party leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination, staging dharnas outside the Election Commission (EC) office in New Delhi and organising demonstrations in Bhopal.
Senior Congress leaders, workers and supporters gathered near the Election Commission headquarters in the national capital, alleging that the rejection was politically motivated and aimed at denying the opposition a fair electoral contest. Protesters carried placards and raised slogans accusing the ruling BJP of attempting to influence the democratic process through procedural interventions.
A parallel protest was also held in Bhopal, where Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders and workers assembled to condemn the Returning Officer’s decision. Party leaders described the rejection as an attack on constitutional values and alleged misuse of electoral procedures to prevent a competitive election.
The controversy began after election authorities rejected Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination during scrutiny over alleged non-disclosure relating to a legal matter in the nomination affidavit. Congress leaders rejected the allegation, maintaining that no criminal case had been formally registered and asserting that the cited issue did not require disclosure under election rules.
Addressing supporters during the protest, Congress representatives said the party would challenge the decision through legal channels and continue political mobilisation on the issue. Leaders stated that the matter would be pursued before the Election Commission and, if necessary, in court.
The BJP defended the rejection, stating that election laws require complete transparency in nomination documents and that the scrutiny process was conducted according to established rules.
The episode has triggered a wider political confrontation ahead of the Rajya Sabha election process, with both parties trading allegations over transparency, constitutional norms and electoral fairness.