Hyderabad:
As Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh was rejected over an affidavit-related issue, back in Telangana where Natarajan is AICC In-Charge, it has exposed an alleged internal Congress rivalry and BJP proactive intervention, which led to a little-known private complaint filed in Hyderabad eventually becoming central to the nomination controversy.
Sources familiar with the developments told NDTV that before filing the private complaint in the Nampally court, petitioner A. Srilatha, a former corporate executive, had met AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan in November 2025 and informed her about alleged harassment by a Congress leader.
According to sources, Natarajan advised Srilatha to approach Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud so that the state unit could examine the matter and provide an appropriate response. However, it is alleged that Srilatha did not receive the support she expected from the state leadership, prompting her to move court with a private complaint in which Mahesh Kumar Goud was named as respondent number three and Meenakshi Natarajan as respondent number four.
Sources further claimed that after notices were issued by the Nampally court, they were served to the address at Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress state headquarters in Hyderabad. The TPCC’s legal cell reportedly handled the matter and sought time before the court during a hearing held on May 22. Some Congress insiders now allege that Natarajan was not fully informed about the proceedings and their possible implications for her Rajya Sabha nomination.
When contacted, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud confirmed that notices had been received and handled through the party’s legal mechanism. He denied any wrongdoing and rejected suggestions that the state unit had failed in its responsibilities.
“We received several notices. Here also there was a notice. We acted in accordance with legal provisions,” Goud said. He maintained that there was no FIR in the matter and alleged that the BJP had targeted a “true Gandhian woman leader” to secure a backdoor entry into the Rajya Sabha. He also asserted that the nomination affidavit had been prepared with proper legal assistance.
Meanwhile, sources close to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy denied any knowledge of the case and reportedly blamed sections of the TPCC for not escalating the matter either to the Chief Minister’s Office or the AICC leadership.
Another claim circulating in political circles is that after learning about Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination, the petitioner approached Telangana BJP president Ramchander Rao, a senior advocate. Sources claim that discrepancies relating to the affidavit were subsequently brought to the attention of the BJP’s Madhya Pradesh unit, which later challenged the nomination.
The legal controversy started with a private complaint filed by Srilatha before the 4th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Nampally, Hyderabad. The complaint names several individuals and contains allegations relating to harassment, threats and alleged inaction by party functionaries.
Police sources in Telangana say that Srilatha had first approached Hyderabad police in 2022 with allegations against Congress leader Kumbham Shivakumar Reddy. The complaint was later closed due to a lack of evidence. Subsequent complaints filed elsewhere were also disposed of before the present private complaint was lodged in 2025.
However, legal experts of Congress point out that the case remains at a preliminary stage. Under provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), respondents have been issued notices, but the court has not yet taken cognisance of the complaint. Natarajan’s legal team has consistently maintained that no criminal case is pending against her.
The episode has also triggered a fierce political battle in Telangana, with the opposition mounting an attack on the ruling Congress, alleging a rift and sabotage.
BRS leader M. Krishank alleged that internal Congress power struggles in Telangana were responsible for the controversy becoming public during the Rajya Sabha nomination process. He said that Natarajan had previously taken positions that embarrassed the state leadership on issues such as the Musi River redevelopment project and other contentious decisions.
“It is deeply disheartening to see a modest leader of Meenakshi Natarajan ji’s calibre lose her Rajya Sabha seat over a mere technicality in an affidavit,” Krishank said.
“It appears she has been politically crucified through an internal party conspiracy,” he added.
BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) also reacted to the issue and asked, “Who from its (Congress) ranks brought the Telangana case to the public domain? Better to plug that hole to arrest future embarrassments.”
Congress leaders, however, insist that the controversy reflects a larger BJP strategy.
Congress MP C. Kiran Kumar Reddy welcomed action against social media posts linking senior Congress leaders to the nomination setback and accused the BJP of orchestrating events to gain an additional Rajya Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh.
“A private complaint does not carry the sanctity being claimed by our opponents,” he said. Referring to BNSS provisions, he argued that such preliminary proceedings were not required to be disclosed in the nomination affidavit and described the outcome as “the theft of a Rajya Sabha seat.”
With allegations of internal sabotage, claims of BJP intervention and a court case still awaiting substantive hearing, the controversy surrounding Meenakshi Natarajan’s rejected Rajya Sabha nomination continues to fuel political debate across Telangana and Madhya Pradesh.
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