Will the “Inkgate” History Be Repeated in the Upcoming Rajya Sabha Elections from Haryana?

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana – Pawan Kumar Bansal

Two Rajya Sabha Seats Vacant in Haryana: Will the Decade-Old Notorious History of “Inkgate” Be Repeated?

With the election to two Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana set to be held soon—being vacated by Kiran Chaudhary and Ram Chander Jangda—the million-dollar question being asked in political and media circles is whether Congress will once again repeat the infamous “Inkgate” episode.

Before reminding our readers about “Inkgate,” it is important to briefly explain the arithmetic behind winning these two seats. According to the strength of MLAs, the BJP will comfortably secure one seat. If there is no floor crossing or cross-voting, Congress can win the second seat.

Although Kiran Chaudhary and Ram Chander Jangda are also lobbying for a repeat, this is not a major issue, as the final decision will rest with the Modi–Shah duo. However, within Congress, hectic lobbying is underway, as a Rajya Sabha ticket is considered nothing less than a lottery bumper prize.

Now coming to “Inkgate.” Haryana has long been known worldwide for corruption, defection, casteism, nepotism, “Bharat Darshan,” and floor crossing. About a decade ago, another notorious chapter—“Inkgate”—was added to this list.

At that time, the votes of nearly a dozen Congress legislators were cancelled because they signed their ballots with their own pens instead of the pens provided by the Assembly Secretariat. This led to the defeat of Congress candidate R.K. Anand and the victory of BJP candidate and media baron Subhash Chandra.

An FIR was also registered in the matter, but the case remains a mystery even today.

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