New Delhi, March 17 (NationPress) On Tuesday, members of the Opposition accused the BJP of extensive 'horse-trading' and misuse of authority in the wake of the Rajya Sabha election results across multiple states. In response, BJP officials dismissed these allegations, attributing them to internal disagreements within the Congress party.

In his remarks, Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh condemned the ruling party for violating democratic principles during the electoral process.

“Regardless of the election results, what is truly disheartening is the conduct of the Bharatiya Janata Party. There are significant accusations of vote buying and transforming the Rajya Sabha elections into a commercial enterprise. They have compromised democracy and disregarded all standards and decorum. Where is the dignity that they consistently claim to uphold?” Singh stated in an interview with IANS.

RJD MP Sudhakar Singh also claimed that the BJP employed financial influence and political maneuvering in states where they lacked sufficient support.

“At a national level, Bihar is included, as are Haryana, Odisha, and several other regions. In areas where the Union government led by the BJP did not possess enough numbers, elections for the Rajya Sabha were still contested. They engaged in horse-trading, misappropriated funds, and manipulated the electoral process,” he explained.

Congress MP Varun Chaudhary shared similar sentiments, asserting that the BJP seeks power even when it does not have the necessary numbers.

“The BJP does not respect democratic values. Even when they lack the required strength, they still attempt to seize power through authoritative means. The situation in Haryana also illustrates how power was misused,” he remarked.

Another Congress MP, Amar Singh, alleged that the ruling party tried to sway members of the Opposition.

“This is the modus operandi of the BJP. They have attempted to bribe the Opposition, intimidate them, and manipulate results. Look at the counting situation in Haryana — how long does it take to tally 90 seats? They have tried this everywhere, including Odisha,” he asserted.

Congress MP Manish Tewari emphasized that these events raise serious concerns about political ethics and called for a re-evaluation of the anti-defection law.

“It’s regrettable that political integrity has reached a new low. The public no longer holds the political party that elected them in high regard. It is time to seriously reconsider the anti-defection law, as these allegations of horse-trading in every election — once a minor issue — have now escalated into a large-scale operation,” Tewari said.

In contrast, BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra refuted the claims, stating that it was Congress's failure to manage its own legislators.

“The Congress party is incapable of handling its internal matters. Congress MLAs chose to abstain. In this context, you can blame the BJP as much as you want. If the MLAs are unsatisfied and did not partake in the Rajya Sabha elections, what can the BJP do? Certainly, the BJP stands to gain from this, and it has,” Mishra concluded.

During the Rajya Sabha elections, the NDA secured all five seats in Bihar, while in Odisha, the NDA won three seats and the BJD claimed one. In Haryana, both the BJP and Congress captured one seat each.