Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 10: Senior Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan has found herself at the centre of a political storm after her nomination for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh was rejected during scrutiny, triggering sharp reactions from the Congress and setting off a fresh confrontation with the BJP ahead of the June 18 polls.
The Returning Officer rejected Natarajan's nomination papers after objections were raised regarding the alleged non-disclosure of a legal matter in her election affidavit.
The objection was submitted by BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat, whose legal team claimed that Natarajan had failed to disclose a pending case registered against her in Telangana, allegedly violating Supreme Court guidelines on the disclosure of criminal proceedings by election candidates.
According to reports, election authorities provided Natarajan an opportunity to furnish additional details before taking the final decision to reject her nomination.
The Congress strongly opposed the move, terming it politically motivated. Senior party leaders, led by Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, staged a protest outside the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi, alleging an attempt to deny the party a Rajya Sabha seat.
Madhya Pradesh Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary maintained that no FIR or active criminal case existed against Natarajan and argued that a show-cause notice issued by a court did not require disclosure in the nomination documents.
A seasoned Congress functionary, Meenakshi Natarajan is widely regarded as one of Rahul Gandhi's trusted associates and an influential organisational strategist within the party.
She entered Parliament in 2009 after winning the Mandsaur Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, ending the BJP's six-term hold on the seat. Her victory was considered a significant achievement for the Congress in the state.
Although she was defeated by BJP leader Sudhir Gupta in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Natarajan continued to play a key role in the party's organisational affairs.
Her association with Rahul Gandhi dates back to 2007, when he launched efforts to restructure the Youth Congress and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI). Impressed by her organisational skills, Gandhi entrusted her with key responsibilities, leading to her appointment as an All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary in 2008.
Over the years, Natarajan maintained a relatively low public profile while remaining actively involved in internal party affairs and organisational planning.
In February 2025, she returned to a prominent national role when the Congress appointed her as AICC in-charge of Telangana, signalling renewed confidence in her leadership abilities.
With the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination sparking a major political controversy, Natarajan has once again emerged as a prominent figure in the national political landscape.