New Delhi [India], June 12 (ANI): The Congress on Friday held a 'Satyagraha' protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the rejection of party leader Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh.

The protesting workers were seen holding a banner with the quote 'First Vote Chori, Now 'Seat Chori' and then the Election Commission's brazen defiance.'

The Satyagraha is being organised to protest the alleged undemocratic and unjust rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination/application and to uphold the principles of free, fair, and democratic electoral processes by raising the party's collective voice before the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar said, 'The Supreme Court needs to make a decision today to save the country's democracy, one that will set a precedent for the nation. If the Supreme Court does not give a decision in this matter, I believe it will be a danger to the country and democracy. The Supreme Court is well aware of the clear situation. There are people far more learned in rules and laws sitting there... The Election Commission is repeatedly misleading the Supreme Court.'

Speaking to ANI, National Chairman of Rajiv Gandhi panchayati Raj Sangathan Sunil Panwar told ANI that they are protesting against the ECI for rejecting Natarajan's nomination papers, which was wrong.

'We will protest against the government and the ECI for stopping her from filing a nomination paper for the Rajya Sabha, and the decision is wrong and unconstitutional,' Panwar added.

The development comes after electoral authorities rejected Natarajan's nomination papers, citing alleged irregularities in her election affidavit. The decision has triggered protests from Congress, which has accused the Election Commission of acting unfairly.

Earlier this week, a 10-member Congress delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner to raise concerns over the issue.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday criticised both the Election Commission and the BJP, alleging a 'jugalbandi' between the two and claiming that the Rajya Sabha biennial elections had effectively been decided before voting due to what he termed 'seat chori'.

In an X post, Gandhi flagged the cancellation of Meenakshi Natranjan's nomination papers, who was the Congress's Rajya Sabha election candidate from Madhya Pradesh.

'After Vote Chori and Sarkar Chori, the BJP-EC jugalbandi has finished the contest before it has even begun with Seat Chori. Look at what happened in the recent Rajya Sabha elections. Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan ji submitted every document. No pending cases. The EC cancelled her nomination on a frivolous BJP objection,' he said.

Gandhi also underlined that Parimal Nathwani, the BJP-backed independent candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections from Jharkhand, skipped mandatory details while writing his own name wrong in the form, and yet he was given time from the ECI to fix the mistakes.

'Parimal Nathwani, the BJP-backed independent, got his own name wrong on the form and skipped multiple mandatory disclosures. The EC gave him an extension to fix everything,' he said. (ANI)