EC acted as per law in Meenakshi Natarajan case, says Telangana BJP chief

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no role in the Election Commission’s disqualification of Congress Party Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh and party-incharge of Telangana, Meenakshi Natarajan, as she failed to disclose a pending case against her in her sworn affidavit, despite Supreme Court-mandated procedures, said Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Wednesday (June 10, 2026).

“Ms. Natarajan was aware of the case. She had received summons and even filed a counter petition. Candidates are required to disclose all pending cases as well as their assets, and there is no exemption. There has been precedent — an MLA from Madikasira was unseated for not declaring assets. In my view, the Election Commission acted strictly according to the rules,” he said.

Addressing a press conference marking 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure, Mr. Rao alleged a ‘conspiracy’ behind the NEET question paper leak and the CBSE evaluation issues, suggesting attempts to disrupt the education system and target the Union Education Ministry.

“The Minister (Dharmendra Pradhan) has acknowledged the lapses, ordered an inquiry, and several individuals have already been arrested. The National Testing Agency (NTA) is taking corrective measures. Students should not be misled for political purposes. We want examinations to be foolproof, as they significantly impact the lives of students and their families,” he said.

The BJP leader also urged the State government to permit the use of Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance cards, which provide coverage of up to ₹5 lakh, arguing that this would enable citizens to seek treatment anywhere in the country. He noted that the scheme was allowed during the COVID-19 period but currently covers only a limited range of treatments.

On inter-state matters, Mr. Rao said that securing an appointment with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would not be difficult if Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was genuinely “serious” about it. He brushed aside questions about Prime Minister Modi not holding press conferences, stating that every Prime Minister has a distinct style of functioning and that he was not the right person to comment.

The Centre would soon introduce a policy addressing the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on employment and the economy, while continuing to promote entrepreneurship and start-ups. Earlier, Mr. Rao reiterated that the Modi government had allocated ₹13 lakh crore to Telangana for welfare and development projects, including Finance Commission devolution and investments in national highways and railway infrastructure.