Bengaluru, June 10: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee member Siddaramaiah has condemned the rejection of Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh. He labeled the move as an “attack on democracy” and a “clear illegal action.” Siddaramaiah alleged that this incident is part of a larger conspiracy to undermine democratic institutions.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah noted the irony that on the same day the BJP celebrated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long tenure as a democratic achievement, their electoral machinery illegally rejected Natarajan’s nomination.
“It is highly ironic that under the BJP’s rule, the electoral process is being misused while they claim to celebrate democracy,” he stated.
Siddaramaiah argued that the rejection of Natarajan’s nomination was not a standard investigative procedure but a politically motivated action designed to benefit the BJP. He pointed out that the BJP introduced a third candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections despite having the numbers to win only two seats. He claimed that attempts were made to poach Congress legislators and gain support, but when those efforts failed, the electoral machinery was used to disqualify the Congress candidate.
He also questioned the grounds for the nomination rejection, asserting that there are no criminal charges against Meenakshi Natarajan in the eyes of the law. He emphasized that a private complaint cannot be deemed a criminal case until a court takes cognizance of it. Furthermore, he stated that merely issuing a court notice does not necessitate disclosure in the nomination papers.
Siddaramaiah insisted that the legal arguments were clearly presented to the returning officer, yet the nomination was still rejected. This, he argued, indicates that the decision was neither fair nor independent, but rather aimed at securing a victory for the BJP that they could not achieve honestly.
He accused the BJP of employing a broader strategy to interfere with democratic processes. He stated that methods such as manipulating voter lists have previously led to “vote theft,” and now “seat theft” has become part of the same campaign.
“Whether through voter manipulation, defection, bribery of legislators, or misuse of institutions, the BJP’s objective is to create an artificial majority in Parliament,” he said.
Siddaramaiah claimed that laws are being enacted contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and democratic values based on this artificial majority. He affirmed that the Congress will oppose this alleged attack on democracy and constitutional values through every democratic means, continuing the struggle against this injustice alongside the public.
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