Congress to meet EC on Haryana Rajya Sabha poll voting

Stunned by the outcome in the elections to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana where votes of 14 Congress legislators were declared "invalid", the party has decided to approach the Election Commission to demand a probe.

"It was all part of a conspiracy hatched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)," Congress General Secretary B.K. Hariprasad told a TV channel on Sunday.

"We will meet Election Commission tomorrow (Monday) to protest against the misuse of government machinery," he said.

Following rejection as "invalid" of some votes polled in the Rajya Sabha elections for two seats in Haryana on Saturday, Independent candidate R.K. Anand, backed by the Congress, lost the poll to media baron Subhash Chandra, also an Independent who was supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Asked whether the party suspected sabotage by its own leaders, including former Chief Minister B.S. Hooda who had initially opposed Anand's candidature, Hari Prasad replied in negative.

"The final decision to support R.K. Anand's candidature was taken at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting," he asserted.

"All our MLAs voted in favour of Anand," he said.

For his part, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Hooda also demanded a probe.

--IANS

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