Cross-voting allegations ‘unwarranted’, CPI(ML) Liberation leader writes to Congress chief Kharge
CPI (ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. File | Photo credit: ANI
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on Friday (June 19, 2026) wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge “strongly protesting” the allegations leveled against the CPI(ML) (L) MLA in connection with the June 118 Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand.
After the results were declared, Jharkhand Congress leader K. Raju blamed the alliance partner Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CPI (ML)(L) for the Congress candidate’s defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls.
In his letter, Mr. Bhattacharaya said that such unverified and baseless allegations against the allies undermine mutual trust between the INDIA bloc parties.
“Survey Agents Verified”
“We are shocked to see Congress blaming our MLAs in Jharkhand for the defeat of Congress candidate Pranav Jha in the Rajya Sabha elections. This is a malicious lie. Both our MLAs voted for Mr. Jha as planned in a meeting of opposition MLAs. Our poll agents duly verified the votes before casting the ballots,” Mr. Bhattachary wrote.
“I am writing to you to express our strong protest against the totally baseless and malicious propaganda against our MLAs and the attempt to tarnish the image of our party. In election after election our MLAs in Bihar and Jharkhand have voted for opposition candidates in the Rajya Sabha. As you know our party has been one of the most loyal voters since its inception of the INDIA bloc.
Mr. Bhattacharya urged the Congress President to ask his party leaders to stop making unverified and unsubstantiated allegations against allies that undermine mutual trust between INDIA bloc partners. He added that the media also gave wide publicity following which the CPI(ML)(L) was forced to release the letter.
BJP-backed independent candidate Parimal Nathwani won one of the two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand on June 18, defeating Congress’s Pranav Jha. Baidyanath Ram of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was elected to the second seat.
Sources said businessman Mr. Nathwani from Gujarat won the election after RJD and CPI(ML)(L) legislators cross-voted. Mr. Ram got 30 votes, Mr. Nathawani got 28 votes and Mr. Jha managed to get only 20 votes. Three votes were declared invalid in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.
Speaking to the press shortly after the results were announced, Mr. Raju said, “It is clear that out of 34 JMM MLAs, 30 voted for JMM and four voted for our candidate and all our 16 MLAs voted for the Congress candidate, so it was 20 votes. An independent candidate used money to woo MLAs. As far as RJ is concerned, we have not betrayed the CPI(ML)(L).”
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) also criticized the Congress for making such allegations. Bhola Yadav, an RJD leader and close aide to party supremo Lalu Prasad, who was deputed as a party observer for the polls, said all four RJD MLAs voted for the Congress candidate and showed it to him before casting their votes.
“Lalu never joined the joint forces”
“The ideology of Lalu Prasad ji and Tejashwi Yadav ji has always been rooted in social justice and secularism; they have never joined hands with communal forces. Despite being jailed several times, facing many legal cases and hardships, Lalu ji has never joined hands with communal forces – so why would he do so now? The allegation leveled against Rajujibl in the past is baseless,” Mr II Yadav said while addressing a press conference. conference in Ranchi.
He claimed that the RJD is a party that has always stood by the Congress even in difficult times.
Published – 19 Jun 2026 15:48 IST