In a dramatic turn ahead of the June 18 Rajya Sabha elections, the nomination of senior Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan from Madhya Pradesh has been cancelled after the Election Commission accepted objections raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP alleged that Natarajan had failed to disclose details of a pending criminal case in Telangana in her affidavit, prompting the returning officer to reject her nomination papers.
The Congress has strongly protested the decision, calling it politically motivated and a blow to democratic fairness. Party leaders argued that the objection was raised at the eleventh hour to derail their candidate’s prospects and demanded a review of the order.
Natarajan, a former Member of Parliament known for her grassroots activism and close association with the Congress high command, was expected to be one of the party’s key voices in the Upper House. Her disqualification now leaves the Congress scrambling to reassess its strategy for the upcoming vote.
The BJP, meanwhile, has hailed the decision as a victory for transparency, insisting that all candidates must adhere strictly to disclosure norms. With three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh up for grabs, the development has added fresh intensity to the political contest.
