'We Still Have Faith In Constitutional Institutions': Meenakshi Natarajan After Congress Delegation Meets EC

A Congress delegation consisting of KC Venugopal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vivek Tankha, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh, Deepa Dasmunshi, Bhupesh Baghel and Meenakshi Natarajan met the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners on Wednesday over the rejection of the party's Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination.

After the meeting, Meenakshi told the media, "The Election Commission has heard us. We are fighting this battle because we still have faith in constitutional institutions."

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal stated that the delegation had a detailed discussion with the Election Commission of India, presenting the facts and figures. Venugopal said that after hearing them, the EC said that it would look into the issue.

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the media after the Congress delegation met Election Commission officials that Natarajan's nomination had been rejected on the basis of the non-existence of even cognisance, which means there is no criminal case that she could have disclosed.

"EC has the power to do justice and the power to right wrongs. We hope and trust that the EC will realise that this (rejection of nomination) creates a non-level playing field, which strikes at the heart of democracy; a violation of that strikes further at the heart of the basic structure of the Constitution. We have requested them for an immediate decision. We have come on the day of withdrawal; there is sufficient time. This is a completely egregious, blatant, patently unlawful, and without-law order. It should be set aside immediately, is our request," he said.

The Returning Officer on Tuesday rejected Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for allegedly concealing information about a pending case against her.