Rajya Sabha poll row: INLD alleges horse-trading by BJP, Congress
Seeks House discussion to reveal names behind cross-voting
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Aditya Devilal on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on both the Congress and the BJP over the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana, alleging large-scale horse-trading and financial inducements.
Commenting on the outcome, he claimed that “the BJP purchased Congress MLAs in crores,” adding that the elections had triggered widespread debate across Haryana. “The people of Haryana are deeply emotional and remain closely connected to their leaders. With public sentiment in mind, the INLD chose to distance itself from the electoral process,” he said.
Referring to previous elections, he alleged, “In the previous two Rajya Sabha elections as well, both the Congress and the BJP had engaged in the ‘horse-trading’ of MLAs. The Congress and the BJP play with the emotions of the public.”
Aditya Devilal said the latest contest had exposed the “true nature” of both parties. He also cited past controversies, including the “ink controversy” and the election involving Kartikeya Sharma, to underline his claims of irregularities.
Targeting the Congress leadership, he questioned why details of cross-voting were not made public. “During the voting process, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and party in-charge BK Hariprasad were scrutinising every ballot… Once the Congress had ascertained all the facts, they should have disclosed this information to the public immediately,” he said.
He further said, “The Congress should have revealed which of their MLAs engaged in cross-voting and which MLA deliberately got their vote invalidated in favour of the BJP,” stating that Hooda’s silence “raises several pertinent questions.”
Alleging a betrayal of public trust, he said, “The Congress sold its MLAs, and the BJP purchased them… Through these Rajya Sabha elections, the Congress has completely made a mockery of the Constitution framed by Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.”
Responding to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s remark that INLD was the Congress’s “B-team,” he said the CM “is prone to making grandiose statements” and should “get himself medically examined.”
Meanwhile, Aditya Devilal and INLD MLA Arjun Chautala moved a motion under Rule 84, seeking a House discussion on cross-voting to bring transparency on which MLAs deviated and why.
