The rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for the Rajya Sabha election in Madhya Pradesh has triggered a major political confrontation, with the Congress accusing the BJP of undermining democratic processes and orchestrating a "seat theft" ahead of the June 18 polls, reported NDTV.
Natarajan's nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny by the Returning Officer on Tuesday after objections were raised regarding the alleged non-disclosure of a pending legal matter in her election affidavit.
In a dramatic escalation of political tensions, top Congress leaders led by National General Secretary KC Venugopal staged an immediate sit-in protest outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters on Tuesday.
ALSO READ: Madras HC Draws Line On Waqf Powers, Quashes Board's Dargah Order
The complaint was filed by BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat, whose legal team argued that Natarajan failed to disclose an ongoing criminal case registered against her in Telangana, allegedly violating Supreme Court guidelines on the mandatory disclosure of legal proceedings.
Election officials reportedly gave her an opportunity to provide additional information before ultimately rejecting the nomination.
Congress strongly disputed the grounds for disqualification. Madhya Pradesh Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary maintained that no active criminal case or FIR existed against Natarajan and argued that a court-issued show-cause notice did not require disclosure in the nomination papers, as per NDTV.
Who is Meenakshi Natarajan?
Meenakshi Natarajan, whose Rajya Sabha nomination was recently rejected, is a key organisational strategist whose political rise is deeply intertwined with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
A former Member of Parliament, Natarajan represented Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur constituency from 2009 to 2014, breaking a six-term BJP stronghold. Despite subsequent defeats to BJP's Sudhir Gupta in 2014 and 2019, as per Hindustan Times, she has maintained a powerful, low-profile influence within the party's core hierarchy.
ALSO READ: Stocks To Watch Today: Bharti Airtel, NLC India, NTPC Green, Afocns Infra & More
Natarajan entered Gandhi's inner circle in 2007 during his mandate to revamp the Youth Congress and NSUI, leading to her appointment as an AICC secretary in 2008. Trusted for her organisational acumen, Gandhi handpicked her as a close aide early in his career.
After years away from the electoral spotlight, Natarajan returned to a high-profile role in February 2025, when she was appointed AICC in-charge of Telangana.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.