Jharkhand RS polls were manipulated: JMM member

Jharkhand's "ruling party" used money power and other unfair means to win the June 11 Rajya Sabha elections in the state, JMM member Sanjiv Kumar said on Tuesday in the upper house of parliament.

He was supported in his assertion by Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, who said it has become a "modus operandi" to sabotage elections for the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress, however, protested when Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi referred to Karnataka, where also the media had reported manipulation in Rajya Sabha elections.

Raising the issue, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Sanjiv Kumar said the MLAs were lured with money power and when that did not work, old cases against two MLAs were misused.

"The ruling party crossed limits in the election. When they could not make the MLAs vote for them by money power they used two old cases to target two MLAs. They could not vote and ruling party won by one vote," he said without naming Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He added that a CD proved that the ruling party tried to bribe MLAs.

"This is not about one seat; it is about the dignity of Rajya Sabha," Sanjiv Kumar said.

"I leave this matter on the conscience of home minister and leader of house," he added.

He was joined by Azad who said: "This is not first time. This has become a modus operandi to threaten MLAs to make their candidate win."

Azad demanded a house committee to probe the issue.

Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav urged the government to take the issue seriously.

"This is about the reputation of Rajya Sabha election," Yadav said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury also demanded investigation of the CD that was mentioned.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi then referred to Karnataka Rajya Sabha election.

"The issue is related to Jharkhand and Karnataka... " Naqvi said, which was met by protests from Congress benches.

"We must have faith on the election commission," Naqvi said, "If there is any CD, processes will be followed".

Earlier, the issue of alleged unfair practice in Haryana Rajya Sabha election had also been raised in the upper house.

--IANS

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