Cong’s latest worry: Patel who gave ‘walkover’ to Sushma

In absence of a Congress candidate, Swaraj in 2009 had won Vidisha constituency by a margin 3.89 lakh votes.

Rajkumar Patel, who virtually gave a walkover to BJP’s Sushma Swaraj in Vidisha in 2009 after his nomination as a Congress candidate was rejected by the Election Commission, has returned to trouble his former party.

He was expelled for “anti-party activities” after he blamed the Congress for the delay in submitting crucial From B, which had led to rejection on his candidature.

This time he is threatening to contest as an Independent if Congress does not revoke his expulsion and change its official candidate Laxman Singh. “I had nursed the constituency. I have the first right to contest from there,” he told The Indian Express.

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In absence of a Congress candidate, Swaraj in 2009 had won Vidisha constituency by a margin 3.89 lakh votes. Stung by the last minute embarrassment, the Congress had expelled Patel with state leaders accusing him of having struck a deal with the rival party. Since then Patel has not been able to find his feet. Insisting that he could not be held accountable for “a procedural lapse”, Patel moved court to challenge the rejection of his nomination. The matter has now reached the Supreme Court.

He said he would file his nomination on April 2. Vidisha goes to poll on April 24 and the last date for filing the nomination is April 5.

Patel argued if the Raipur candidate could be changed so could Laxman Singh be. He alleged that Congress candidates whose nominations were rejected in similar circumstances in other elections were not meted out the same treatment.

A Congress leader, however, said the party was unlikely to accept Patel back in its fold or change its nominee. He claimed senior leaders had evidence that the delay on Patel’s part was deliberate.