Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Vishvas Sarang has triggered a fresh political controversy after making sharp remarks on the cancellation of Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination. Sarang claimed that Congress leaders were themselves “circulating photocopies” of a notice related to an alleged criminal matter to influence the nomination outcome and discredit the process.
His comments came amid escalating political tension between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Indian National Congress over procedural concerns in the nomination and electoral process. Sarang further alleged that internal distrust within the Congress led to manipulation of paperwork and intentional rejection of forms, suggesting it was an attempt to manage internal dissent and avoid embarrassment over possible cross-voting.
Allegations of internal Congress rift and cross-voting claims
In his statement, Sarang accused the Congress of being aware of potential cross-voting by its 30 legislators, claiming the party pre-emptively altered or mishandled nomination-related documentation. He suggested that this was done to “save face” politically and avoid a public setback, while the Election Commission was made a scapegoat.
He also questioned the internal functioning of the Congress party, alleging confusion and mistrust among its leadership regarding its own elected representatives.
Congress rebukes Election Commission
The Congress has launched protests against the Election Commission, accusing them of bias and procedural irregularities in handling the nomination process. Party leaders argue that the developments reflect misuse of institutional mechanisms to influence political outcomes and have demanded transparency in the handling of nomination scrutiny.
The BJP had earlier raised objections to Natarajan’s candidature, claiming there were discrepancies and that she had failed to disclose key information in her papers. With her nomination now dismissed, the party’s third candidate, Mahesh Kewat, is expected to secure victory without opposition.
With this development, the BJP is now set to win all three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh.
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