Cash for votes: Cong approaches EC against revoking RS election

New Delhi: Congress on Monday approached the Election Commission pleading against countermanding the election to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka in the backdrop of "sting operations" purportedly showing MLAs negotiating a money deal in exchange for their votes.

Party General Secretary Digvijay Singh led a delegation to the EC on the issue.

Read: Rajya Sabha poll: Karnataka Congress in talks with independent MLAs

Later talking to reporters, Singh dismissed suggestions that the matter was "serious" and warranted cancellation of the polls.

Noting that Jharkhand had witnessed cancellation of Rajya Sabha polls in March 2012 after a candidate was caught with huge cash in his vehicle, Singh said that nothing of this sort has happened in Karnataka.

Read: By invitation: Rajya Sabha? No, House of the Grabby, grubby, greedy

A political slugfest broke out in Karnataka over TV "sting operations" that purportedly showed MLAs negotiating a money deal in exchange for their votes in election to four Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

The Commission had sought a factual report from the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka. With elections due to be held on June 11, five candidates are in the fray for the four seats.

The footage of "sting operation" by one channel showed a JD(S) MLA purportedly talking about money in crores of rupees for supporting a candidate while the one by another channel showed Congress candidate KC Ramamurthy and independent MLAs purportedly speaking about getting enhanced development funds for the constituency from the government in return for votes.