Didn’t cross-vote, says another showcaused Congress MLA; claims she was ‘singled out’

Chandigarh: After Shalley Chaudhary and Jarnail Singh, a third Congress MLA, Renu Bala – showcaused for alleged cross-voting in the recent Rajya Sabha elections — insists she voted for party candidate Karamveer Boudh.A loyalist of Sirsa MP and former Union minister Selja Kumari, Renu Bala on Saturday said she had submitted her reply to state Congress chief Dharampal Malik a day earlier."I am loyal to the party and have voted for our party candidate. I have submitted a detailed reply, which includes the reason why I have been singled out," said Renu Bala. Asked why she was served a showcause notice, she shot back: "They know it better, ask them."HPCC discipline committee will meet on Monday to proceed on the replies filed by the three MLAs who have reiterated their loyalty towards the party -- Shalley of Naraingarh, Jarnail of Ratia, and Renu from Sadhaura constituency.Two others -- Mohad Iliyas and Mohd Israil – have struck a defiant stand. While Israel has admitted to having cross voted as he did not like the candidature of Baudh, Iliyas called on Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar and CM Nayab Singh Saini on Friday.The March 16 election turned out to be a nail-biter and a controversial one at that as it went down to the wire though Congress had the numbers to see Baudh through.The Congress candidate won by the narrowest of margins as the party lost nine votes – five to alleged cross-voting and four were invalidated. Had only one more Congress vote been lost, BJP-backed independent Satish Nandal would have pulled off a stunner.Congress alleges its votes were wrongly invalidated to "contrive the numbers in favour of BJP", and sought action against returning officer Pankaj Aggarwal.