The Indian National Congress has identified Jarnail Singh as the fifth legislator who allegedly cross-voted during the recent Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana. The party’s disciplinary committee has issued him a show-cause notice as part of its ongoing probe into the controversial episode.
Congress Tightens Grip After Voting Breach
The notice comes a day after the party had already served similar notices to four other MLAs suspected of defying the official party line during the crucial vote. The Congress had earlier revealed the names of four legislators but withheld the fifth name until confirming Singh’s alleged involvement.
MLAs Given One Week to Respond
All five legislators have been directed to submit their replies within a week, explaining why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them. According to the notice, the MLAs allegedly cast their votes in a manner that violated the party’s instructions, leading to cancellation or invalidation of their ballots.
The party has termed the act, if proven, as a “serious breach of discipline” and a deliberate attempt to defeat its official position during the election.
Rajya Sabha Poll Results and Political Impact
Polling for two Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana was held on March 16. Sanjay Bhatia of the Bharatiya Janata Party secured one seat comfortably, while the Congress candidate Karamvir Singh Boudh managed to win the second seat in a tight contest against Independent candidate Satish Nandal.
Resort Strategy Could Not Prevent Rifts
In a bid to prevent cross-voting, the Congress had moved its MLAs to a guarded resort in Himachal Pradesh before the polls. Despite the precaution, the episode has exposed deep factionalism within the Haryana unit of the party.
Internal Tensions Surface in Haryana Congress
The cross-voting controversy has sparked internal turmoil, with at least two of the accused MLAs denying any wrongdoing and claiming they have been unfairly implicated. The party leadership is now under pressure to act decisively to maintain discipline and avoid further damage ahead of upcoming political challenges.
