Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing electoral processes to ensure the rejection of Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh. He termed the development a “blatant illegality” and alleged a broader attempt to weaken democratic institutions.

In a detailed statement, Siddaramaiah said it was “ironical” that while the BJP was celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long tenure in office as a democratic milestone, what he described as misuse of the election machinery was taking place simultaneously. He alleged that the rejection of the nomination was not a routine administrative action but a politically driven decision.

Siddaramaiah further claimed that the BJP had fielded a third candidate in the Rajya Sabha contest despite having the numbers to secure only two seats. He alleged that attempts were made to influence Congress legislators, but these efforts failed as party MLAs remained united, prompting what he described as an unfair intervention in the scrutiny process.

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According to him, the grounds cited for rejecting the nomination were not legally sustainable. He argued that there was no criminal case against the candidate in a judicial sense, stating that a private complaint or court notice does not automatically constitute a criminal proceeding requiring disclosure or disqualification. He maintained that the Returning Officer was presented with the legal position, but still proceeded with rejection.

The Chief Minister alleged that the decision reflected a lack of independence in the electoral process and was intended to benefit the BJP politically. He further accused the ruling party of engaging in broader practices to influence democratic outcomes, including what he termed manipulation of voter lists, inducements, and misuse of institutions.

Siddaramaiah concluded that the Congress Party would continue to oppose what it called an attack on constitutional values and democratic fairness. He said the party would pursue all available democratic avenues to challenge what he described as an unjust and politically motivated action.

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