Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, with Karamvir Singh Boudh, who was elected as Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP of attempting “vote chori” and “murdering democracy” in the Haryana Rajya Sabha elections, even as the party asserted that it would take the “strictest possible action” against its own MLAs who allegedly cross-voted.The sharp attack came hours after a dramatic and closely watched Rajya Sabha contest in Haryana ended past midnight, with the BJP and Congress winning one seat each after allegations of violation of vote secrecy, invalidation of ballots and cross-voting roiled the election.

One seat each for BJP and Congress after tense overnight count

BJP’s Sanjay Bhatia and Congress’s Karamvir Singh Boudh were elected to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana.Bhatia, a former Lok Sabha MP from Karnal, won the first seat comfortably with 39 first-preference votes. Boudh, a retired Haryana government employee and a prominent Dalit activist currently serving as the coordinator of the Congress’s National Scheduled Castes Department, secured the second seat with 28 votes.Independent candidate Satish Nandal polled 16 votes, making it a narrow contest for the second seat after cross-voting dented what had otherwise been a comfortable arithmetic for the Congress.Under the Rajya Sabha election formula, the quota required to win one seat was 2,767 vote value, and both Bhatia and Boudh crossed that mark, leaving no room for further transfer of votes.

Deepender Hooda alleges ‘vote chori’, says BJP tried to ‘murder democracy’

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda congratulated the party leadership and hailed Boudh’s win, but launched a blistering attack on the BJP over the manner in which the poll was conducted.“In Haryana, under the cover of darkness at night, the BJP tried to murder democracy and indulge in vote chori,” Hooda alleged, according to PTI.He claimed the BJP had “no faith in democracy” and only wanted to “seize power”, but said Congress MLAs and workers stayed vigilant and ensured victory for Boudh, whom he described as someone who works for social justice.As quoted by news agency ANI, Hooda said that the BJP resorted to “every possible tactic” and that “such unethical politics for just one Rajya Sabha seat would never have been seen anywhere in the entire country before today.”

Congress alleges horse-trading, bias by returning officer

Hooda alleged that the BJP tried “all sorts of tactics”, including encouraging cross-voting and attempting to win the seat through horse-trading.He further claimed that when this did not succeed, the BJP “activated its B-team INLD”, alleging that the Indian National Lok Dal did not clarify its stand until polling day.“When more than 30 votes had already been cast in favour of the Congress, INLD fled from voting,” Hooda alleged.He then accused the BJP of influencing the Election Commission and alleged bias by the Returning Officer.“The Returning Officer showed bias and cancelled our four votes, even though all of them were valid. This was done after another election official had already placed the same votes in the valid tray. This shows that the BJP was indulging in ‘vote chori’ in the Rajya Sabha elections,” Hooda said.Further, Hooda added, “The 4 votes that were declared invalid during our counting are all valid… This is the victory of democracy.”

Congress admits cross-voting, says ‘strictest action’ coming

Even while attacking the BJP, the Congress acknowledged that some of its MLAs had cross-voted.Hooda said some Congress legislators in Haryana had engaged in cross-voting and warned that action would follow.“Those of our MLAs who have sold their conscience and integrity—not just them, but even their next generations will be held accountable by the people of Haryana. The Congress Party is going to take the strictest possible action against those MLAs,” he said.Hooda also said the public would not forgive those MLAs, while those who remained loyal to the party despite “temptations and pressures” had earned greater respect among the people.

Five votes invalid, INLD abstains

The election saw several twists.Two legislators of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) abstained from voting, reducing the number of valid votes to 88 in the 90-member Haryana Assembly at the beginning of polling.INLD leaders Abhay Singh Chautala and Aditya Devi Lal said the party had decided to abstain “keeping people’s sentiments in view”.Later, five votes were declared invalid — four of the Congress and one of the BJP, officials said.After both the Congress and the BJP approached the Election Commission alleging violation of vote secrecy, the poll body declared Congress MLA Paramvir Singh’s vote invalid.The invalidation of ballots became a major flashpoint, with Congress alleging selective targeting and procedural bias.

Boudh calls it a win despite ‘illegal cancellation of votes’

Congress winner Karamvir Singh Boudh also questioned the cancellation of votes after his victory.ANI quoted Boudh as saying, “Votes were illegally cancelled, but I received the blessings of the Congress party and the people. I received love from the Congress’s top leadership.”Congress leaders projected his win as politically significant, especially after BJP leaders had dismissed him as a “weak candidate”.Hooda said those who called a social worker weak had been given a “befitting response” and described the result as a “victory of the Constitution”.Congress Scheduled Castes Department chief Rajendra Pal Gautam, who accompanied Hooda at the press conference, said he was “absolutely delighted” that the party had nominated “a true Ambedkarite” for the Rajya Sabha, PTI reported.

Fresh assembly flashpoint

The Rajya Sabha result also spilled into the Haryana Assembly on Tuesday.In a separate development, Congress MLAs staged a walkout from the Assembly, alleging that democratic values were being undermined.Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal claimed the House had turned into a “market where things are bought and sold” and alleged that ministers had openly admitted to “buying” MLAs.“The Constitution has been strangled, and that is why we are boycotting,” she said, as quoted by ANI.

BJP hits back

The BJP, however, rejected the Congress’s allegations and turned the cross-voting issue back on the opposition.BJP winner Sanjay Bhatia said the Congress was upset because its own legislators had not stayed united.“Congress’s responsibility was to unite its workers and MLAs, now they are putting allegations on us for the cross-votes of their own workers, which is not right,” Bhatia said.Haryana minister Mahipal Dhanda also dismissed the Congress charge, saying the Independent candidate had every right to seek votes and alleging that the Congress had “held their workers hostage”.

A narrow escape for Congress

With five Congress MLAs allegedly cross-voting, Independent candidate Satish Nandal could have potentially matched Boudh’s tally if he had also secured BJP candidate Bhatia’s 11 second-preference votes and if one more Congress MLA had cross-voted in his favour.That arithmetic underlined just how close the Congress came to losing a seat it was expected to win comfortably.In the end, despite cross-voting, invalid ballots and bitter allegations of horse-trading, the Congress managed to secure one of the two seats — but the result has opened a fresh internal crisis over dissident MLAs even as it fuels a new political battle with the BJP over the conduct of the poll.