Six years gone, 'ink' row still haunts Haryana Congress

Tribune News Service

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, May 30

Six years after the “ink” controversy that left an indelible mark on the Rajya Sabha election in Haryana where a Congress-backed candidate lost due to the “invalid” votes, the distrust within the state unit has translated into the nomination of outsider Ajay Maken from the party’s lone Upper House seat in the state.

THE 2016 CASE

• In 2016, the coming together of the Cong and INLD to support Ind candidate RK Anand to keep out BJP-backed Subhash Chandra came a cropper
• The BJP candidates won the two RS seats in Haryana after 13 votes were found “invalid”
• It was alleged that these “invalid” votes had been cast by Congress leaders

While Maken’s name was announced from Haryana, AICC media incharge and ex-minister Randeep Surjewala has bagged the Congress nomination from Rajasthan.

Sources said the party high command played musical chairs with the leaders given the state’s history of the 2016 RS poll. Party-backed Independent candidate RK Anand lost after 12 of 13 votes were found to have been cast using a different ink while one was found to be blank.

“It was believed that the original purple sketch pen was replaced by a blue one during the voting. This one incident created a trust deficit within the party, which explains why ‘insiders’ belonging to the rival camps are shy of contesting from the state. The party also thinks it safe to field an outsider rather than a state leader,” a Congress leader said.

Sources said Maken was sent to Haryana because he would be seen as a “neutral” candidate by various factions, ensuring a win for the party.

Another MLA said bringing Maken to Haryana and shifting Surjewala was also indicative of the reluctance of the leaders. “There is lack of faith among the leaders. The doubt about the vote and support to the party candidate would have persisted if the nomination had gone to an insider. In Haryana, in any case, Bhupinder Hooda has the last say,” ex-CM’s loyalist said.

When contacted, Hooda said, “The ink row was BJP’s mischief. It has nothing to do with the Congress and the nomination from Haryana.”

Surjewalam however, wasn’t available for comment.

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