Bhopal, April 3 (NationPress) The political landscape in Madhya Pradesh has become increasingly tense following the conviction of Datia Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti by a Delhi court in a cooperative bank fraud case that dates back 28 years. Bharti has been sentenced to three years in prison.

The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi concluded that Bharti, along with co-defendant Raghuvir Sharan Prajapati, was guilty of several offenses, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and the use of forged documents. This case revolved around discrepancies related to a fixed deposit at the District Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank in Datia, where it was alleged that records were tampered with using correction fluid to illicitly claim interest over a protracted period.

Both defendants received a three-year prison sentence, with a fine of Rs one lakh imposed on Bharti and Rs 2.5 lakh on Prajapati. Nonetheless, the court has allowed a grace period of two months (reportedly between 30 to 60 days) for filing an appeal, during which the sentence has been suspended.

In light of this ruling, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Secretariat acted promptly. Principal Secretary Arvind Sharma arrived at the Assembly late Thursday night, around 11 p.m., and a notification was swiftly issued declaring Bharti’s membership null and void, thereby rendering the Datia Assembly seat vacant, in compliance with the court's directive.

The Secretariat also commenced communication with the Election Commission, setting the stage for a by-election.

This late-night development incited strong reactions from Congress leaders. State Congress President Jitu Patwari and former Minister P.C. Sharma hurried to the Assembly Secretariat upon hearing of these actions.

P.C. Sharma voiced strong objections, asserting, “The Assembly Secretariat, an independent constitutional body, was opened at night under the influence of the BJP to revoke the membership of a Congress MLA. When we protested against this undemocratic behavior of the Mohan Yadav government, there was complete silence from the authorities. We vehemently denounce the BJP’s political tactics and misuse of the Assembly Secretariat. Congress will vigorously contest this injustice.”

Jitu Patwari criticized the selective urgency of the situation, highlighting the lack of prompt action in previous instances involving MLAs who switched allegiance to the BJP, such as Sachin Birla and Nirmala Sapre. “Why this sudden rush now, especially with the Rajya Sabha elections looming? The court has granted time for an appeal—what justifies this undue haste?” he questioned.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Arun Subhashchandra Yadav also expressed his discontent on social media: “In the cases of Sachin Birla—who defected to the BJP during the last term—and Nirmala Sapre during this term, no action was taken for years. However, now, with the Rajya Sabha elections approaching, swift action has been taken against Congress MLAs Mukesh Malhotra and Rajendra Bharti, even resorting to opening the Assembly Secretariat late at night. Are the laws of the Assembly now dictated by those in power rather than by justice?”

Congress representatives alleged that the ruling BJP government is selectively enforcing rules against opposition MLAs while turning a blind eye to similar cases involving its members or those who have defected.

Rajendra Bharti, who emerged victorious against senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra in the 2023 Assembly elections representing Datia, stated that he respects the court's ruling and intends to challenge the verdict in a higher court.

The disqualification reduces the Congress party's strength to 64 members in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly, escalating the ongoing political struggle in the state.