NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Misa Bharti on Wednesday alleged "horse-trading" and political intimidation following the Rajya Sabha elections in Delhi.
Bharti claimed that the absence of one RJD and three Congress legislators, which impacted the five-seat contest involving six candidates, was created through pressure from central agencies like the CBI and ED.
Speaking to reporters, Misa said, "Elections were to be held for five seats, but there were six candidates. Naturally, this meant one candidate would lose out. In this case, one of our candidates and three Congress candidates did not turn up to cast their votes."
"This has raised suspicions among parties that horse-trading may have taken place. Allegations have also surfaced that the BJP used its agencies, such as the CBI, ED, and Income Tax Department, to intimidate or pressure legislators. Reports from Bihar suggest that some MLAs had pending cases against them, and they were threatened," She added.
On the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the retiring Rajya Sabha MPs for their contributions, wishing them well for their future political endeavours as he emphasised that there was "no full stop in politics".
Addressing the upper house of Parliament during the ongoing budget session, PM Modi said that every member plays a unique role, adding that their experience and contribution will always be remembered.
The biennial Rajya Sabha elections were held to fill 37 seats across 10 states. Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates have already been elected unopposed, while voting was held for the remaining 11 seats, including five from Bihar.
Nitish Kumar, Bihar's longest-tenured Chief Minister for over two decades, announced that he would be heading to the Rajya Sabha and filed his nomination in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other leaders. The 75-year-old also said that the new Cabinet would have his full support.
Apart from Nitish Kumar, other NDA candidates, including Upendra Kushwaha and BJP chief Nitin Nabin, also filed their nominations for the Upper House.