All 99 Congress MPs of the 18th Lok Sabha could be disqualified! While the right-wing hopes they do, the ECI has the final say in the matter. The results of the 2024 General Elections were announced on 4th June 2024. Here the BJP was unable to secure a simple majority as a party but its pre-poll coalition partners ensured that a BJP-Led NDA came to power. While the INDI-Alliance howled with joy at the decreased seats of BJP, they were very happy to see that INC doubled its seat count.
However, Congress was embroiled in a major scandal from 5th June 2024 onwards. Why? The Guarantee Card that fooled voters into voting for INDI-Alliance could not be fulfilled! However, the same cards could guarantee the disqualification of all 99 MPs of Congress! Let’s explore!
Congress Ki Guarantee – Duping Voters Pan India
The Congress party nearly doubled its seat count from 52 in 2019 to 99 in 2024. The credit was given to the two ‘Anyay’ Yatras where their leaders indulged in clever photo ops and caste politics! Another credit was given to the heavily promoted Khatakhat Scheme during their campaign. In this initiative, the Congress promised Rs 8,500 monthly or Rs 1 lakh annually to the bank accounts of women voters. However, the condition for payment was their electoral support in 2024!
These “Guarantee cards” were distributed across multiple states, with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi leading the charge.
Thus, Burqa-clad Muslim women and other poor females began to queue outside Congress offices from 5th June 2024 onwards. With the ‘Congress Ki Guarantee’ Card in hand, they demanded that the party fulfill their monetary poll promise. The women lined up in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, and other places. This partly explained how the poor were duped by the INC instead of BJP. They promised instant cash ‘Khatakhat’ if they voted for Congress. However, they forgot to tell the voters what would happen if they did not come to power. They never told the voters that the promise would never be fulfilled if INC lost!
Congress Khatakhat Scheme Under Bribery Allegations
Consequently, Vibhor Anand, a lawyer based in New Delhi, has filed a formal complaint with President Droupadi Murmu. In his complaint, he urges the President to have the ECI investigate the COngress Ki Guarantee as a possible vote-for-cash bribery scandal. Thereafter, if the allegations stick, he asks the President to disqualify all 99 Congress MPs over the controversial “Khatakhat” cash transfer scheme.
Vibhor Anand contends that the actions of the Congress party violate the Representation of People Act, 1951. Section 123 of the RP Act defines bribery as any gratification offered to induce electoral outcomes. He states that the INC and its leaders promised Rs 1 lakh directly to voters’ accounts for their votes. And this promise was not presented as a scheme to be implemented after victory. The card and the scheme were present as a direct money transfer for votes: “Here you vote for Congress, and there your account will start getting 8,500 cash Khatakhat!”
Vibhor Anand presents this electoral promise as explicit bribery that violates electoral laws.
In his legal submission, Anand has also called for the EC to launch a comprehensive inquiry under section 146 of the RP Act against prominent Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Sonia Gandhi. He has urged the EC to consider the disqualification of these implicated MPs specifically for duping voters.
Will INC Face A Total Wipeout?
If the allegations hold, Congress could face an unprecedented crisis. The potential disqualification of all its 99 MPs would mean that it will not be able to participate in the 18th Lok Sabha at all. Moreover, it will tarnish its reputation and credibility in the eyes of the people. Therefore, the Khatakhat Scheme and Congress Ki Guarantee, once seen as a game-changer for INC and INDI-Alliance, now threatens to become its downfall.
This scandal could reshape the Indian political landscape, providing ammunition to rival parties and shaking the confidence of Congress supporters. The President’s and EC’s decision will be crucial in determining whether these allegations lead to disqualifications or if Congress can weather this wipeout!
As the nation watches this latest twist in the drama, the future of INC and its 99 MPs is in the hands of the ECI. Will the Guarantee Card cost the Congress its very existence in Parliament? Will the Khatakhat Scheme ensure that INC is ‘Safachat’ from national politics? Who knows! Let’s continue to watch how this high-stakes game of politics pans out!