Meenakshi Natarajan, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Telangana, on Sunday firmly rejected allegations that an internal Congress conspiracy led to her Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh being rejected. Addressing a press conference at the party's Telangana headquarters, Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad, she called the conspiracy theories 'bogus' and 'baseless', and instead turned the spotlight on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Natarajan's Rebuttal

Natarajan stated there was 'no reason for anyone in the party to plot' against her, dismissing claims that a Congress leader in Telangana had leaked information about a pending legal notice against her. She argued that the nomination form carries no column requiring disclosure of a pending legal notice, making any such objection procedurally questionable. When the Returning Officer did inquire, she said she voluntarily disclosed the notice and described herself as a 'law-abiding citizen' who had duly responded to it. She clarified that the legal notice pertains to a matter that predates her term as AICC observer, which began in 2025.

BJP Accused of Hatching a Conspiracy

Natarajan alleged that the BJP orchestrated the rejection in coordination with Returning Officers. She pointed to the BJP filing a nomination for the third Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh despite reportedly falling 10 MLAs short of the required strength of 58, while Congress had 61 MLAs. 'Even if there is some conspiracy, what made the two Returning Officers reject the nomination on a frivolous basis?' she asked, alleging a broader design to subvert democratic values. She also alleged that the Election Commission had been compromised, and cited what she described as cross-voting in Haryana and the 'theft of a seat' in Jharkhand as part of a pattern.

Rumours and Reports Dismissed

Natarajan revealed that rumours about her nomination rejection were reportedly circulating a day before the nomination process itself — a detail she cited as evidence of premeditation by the BJP. She also denied reports suggesting that a Congress MP from Telangana would resign their Rajya Sabha seat to facilitate her entry into the upper house. 'No one in Telangana is resigning a Rajya Sabha seat for me. These reports are completely baseless,' she said.

Political Role Going Forward

The Congress leader confirmed that her active political engagement would continue to be centred on Madhya Pradesh, signalling no change in her organisational responsibilities despite the setback. This episode comes amid heightened tensions between the Congress and BJP over Rajya Sabha seat allocations, with both parties trading accusations of procedural manipulation. As the controversy continues to unfold, the Congress is expected to formally contest the rejection through appropriate legal and electoral channels.