Congress may seek explanation over invalid votes

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) The Congress party may seek explanation from Haryana party leaders after the votes of 14 of its MLAs were declared invalid in the state’s Rajya Sabha polls on Saturday.

"Right now it cannot be said, as all the things need to become clear as to what really happened. And it’s definite that the party would seek explanation from the state unit," senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi told IANS.

"And if our MLAs have used different pens then they must have used it unknowingly," Alvi said, adding, "But it is between the high command of the party and the state unit to find out the truth."

According to party sources, the Congress party may seek explanation from former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda as MLAs owing allegiance to him rebelled against the party’s decision to back the independent candidate R.K. Anand in the Rajya Sabha election in the state.

The 14 MLAs apparently made their votes invalid by wrongly marking the ballot.

Media baron Subhash Chandra, an independent candidate supported by the BJP, scraped through amid political drama during the vote count.

He defeated independent candidate, Delhi-based lawyer R.K. Anand, who was supported by the INLD and the Congress.

While Chandra got 24 votes, Anand managed only 15.

Leader of opposition and INLD leader Abhay Chautala accused Congress legislators of getting their votes rejected during the election on Saturday.

But Congress legislator Karan Singh Dalal blamed the INLD for Anand’s defeat.