Congress MP Accuses Election Commission of Being a 'Puppet' for Central Government and BJP

Congress MP Jebi Mather accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of acting as a "puppet" in the hands of the Central government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mather's attack on the poll body follows the rejection of party leader Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections. The nomination of the Congress's Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha candidate was rejected on Tuesday after electoral authorities found irregularities in her affidavit. Natarajan described the rejection of her nomination as an attempt to "muzzle democracy" and undermine constitutional processes. "The rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination is yet another instance that reflects the attitude of the Election Commission of India, which is a puppet in the hands of the Central government and the BJP," Mather said in a statement. "The Election Commission, which should be playing the role of a protector, is acting as a villain to kill democracy," she added. Mather further alleged that the ECI granted a hearing to the Congress only after party leaders staged a sit-in protest on Tuesday night. She said the party was prepared to challenge the decision through both legal and political channels. Congress MP Jothimani also strongly condemned the rejection of Natarajan's nomination. "This is not an administrative decision. It is the BJP's political operation," she said in a post on X. "When rules are selectively applied and institutions act differently for different candidates, democracy becomes the casualty. Every such act chips away at the credibility of our electoral system," she added. "This is nothing short of #SeatChori and an assault on the Constitution," Jothimani said.