RS polls: Incomplete nomination form filed by Congress candidate, says Goyal

Union Railway Minster Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the Election Commission (EC) has been informed about the irregularities in the nomination forms of Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Naranbhai J. Rathwa and independent candidate P.K. Valera.

"We have informed Election Commission about the irregularities in nomination forms of Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Naran Rathwa and independent PK Valera, also there is no proper mention of criminal cases against Rathwa in his affidavit," Goyal told reporters.

Hours after the Congress announced its candidates for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised an objection to the nomination of Rathwa over the issuance of 'No Dues Certificate' to him.

A BJP delegation led by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and MP Bhupender Yadav also went to the EC office in Delhi, earlier in the evening.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala called it a typical case of the 'thief threatening the policeman'.

"Ulta Chor Kotwal ko daante. Earlier also BJP played this lowly game during Ahmed Patel ji's election and now again, but Rathwa ji's nomination is absolutely correct and he will win comfortably," Surjewala said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on March 11 approved ten names to contest for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections.

Rathwa and Amee Yajnik will be contesting from Gujarat.

The elections will be held on March 23 and the deadline for submission of nominations was March 12.

There will be 59 vacancies in the Rajya Sabha in April, including 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress party.

Three nominated members - actor Rekha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and social worker Anu Aga - will also retire then.