Following the Rajya Sabha election fiasco in Haryana when 14 votes of the Congress MlAs were declared “invalid”, the Congress on Monday sought affidavits from 13 MlAs stating that they voted for party supported lawyer RK Anand in the polls held on June 21.
Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar met party president Sonia Gandhi on Monday morning following which affidavits were sought from the MlAs asking them to confirm in writing that they voted for lawyer RK Anand during the Rajya Sabha polls in the State, said sources.
During Rajya Sabha polls held for two seats in Haryana, 14 votes of Congress MlAs were rejected. While 12 votes were rejected due to usage of a different ink, which was not provided by Vidhan Sabha, one vote was rejected as it was left blank. Congress MlA Randeep Singh Surjewala’s vote was rejected as he showed his vote to another MlA Kiran Chaudhary
Sources said that the party high command was disappointed over the behaviour of its14 legislators who allegedly got their votes invalid by marking the ballot with a wrong pen during Rajya Sabha polls even as the Congress is alleging conspiracy angle in the matter.
last week, Tanwar had also met Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to discuss the issue.
Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar while talking to the mediapersons alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by the BJP led Haryana Government during the polling to ensure the victory of BJP backed candidate, media baron Subhash Chandra in the Rajya Sabha polls.
I am confident that all Congress MlAs voted for RK Anand, he added.
last week, Congress, INlD and candidate RK Anand had moved EC, alleging someone had changed the original pen provided by the election officials with another one for a while which resulted in some votes being declared as invalid during the polling.
The Election Commission had last week showed videography of election process to complainants and representatives of winning candidates.
Following this, Anand, who lost the polls to Subhash Chandra had lodged a complaint with Chandigarh Police against Chandra, BJP legislator Aseem Goel, independent Jai Parkash and certain officials from the returning officer’s office and other “unknown persons”.
The complaint said, “...accused Subhash Chandra hatched a criminal conspiracy with accused Aseem Goel and Jai Parkash, certain officials from the office of the Returning Officer, and other unknown persons to sabotage the process of election and secure a victory through fraud.”RK Anand and Congress are likely to move Court over the invalidation of 12 votes during the polls.
Union Minister and BJP leader Birender Singh had comfortably won a Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana. However, following rejection as invalid of 14 votes polled for two seats, Anand lost the poll to Chandra.