The unexpected defeat of Congress candidate Pranav Jha in the recent Rajya Sabha election has triggered an escalating war of words among constituents of the INDIA alliance in Jharkhand, exposing deep fissures within the ruling coalition. Soon after the election results were declared, Jharkhand Congress in-charge K Raju alleged that legislators from alliance partners Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CPI(ML) had cross-voted in favour of BJP-backed independent candidate Parimal Nathwani.
The charge was subsequently echoed by senior Congress leaders, including minister Deepika Pandey Singh, former state Congress president Rajesh Thakur and party general secretary Alok Kumar Dubey.
Dubey alleged that the BJP attempted to influence the election through money power and political pressure and claimed that some alliance partners succumbed to the temptation.
He accused RJD and CPI(ML) leaders of betraying coalition principles and supporting Nathwani, alleging that they had compromised democratic values for political and financial gains.
The allegations, however, have drawn a strong rebuttal from CPI(ML). In a detailed letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, CPI(ML) state secretary Manoj Bhakt rejected the Congress charges and instead raised suspicions of cross-voting within Congress ranks.
He argued that Congress leaders were attempting to shift responsibility for their own failure and suggested that some Congress legislators may have voted against their party's candidate.
Bhakt said CPI(ML)'s two MLAs, Arup Chatterjee and Chandradev Mahato, had voted strictly in accordance with the INDIA bloc's decision to support Pranav Jha. He claimed that polling agents had verified the ballots after voting and found them to be correctly cast. The Left party maintained that its legislators could not be influenced by offers of money or positions.
The CPI(ML) leader further accused Congress of weakening opposition unity through public accusations and internal discord. He questioned whether Congress had adequately accounted for votes within its own ranks before blaming alliance partners.
The sharp exchange of allegations and counter-allegations has brought the spotlight on internal trust deficits within the INDIA alliance. While Congress has vowed to strengthen its organisation and reduce dependence on allies in future Rajya Sabha contests, CPI(ML) has demanded a thorough inquiry into the episode, leaving coalition relations under visible strain in the aftermath of the high-stakes election.
Also read: BJP-backed candidate wins Rajya Sabha seat in Jharkhand
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