Setback for UDF, LDF; nomination papers of prominent candidates rejected

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The UDF and the LDF have suffered a huge setback as the nomination papers of some of their key candidates in various parts of the state were rejected. In Ernakulam, the nomination of UDF’s district panchayat vice president Elsie George was rejected, while in Wayanad, the papers of T. V. Raveendran, who was considered for the post of Kalpetta municipal chairman, were also dismissed. In Palakkad municipality, the nominations of LDF candidates were rejected.

Elsie George was set to contest from the Kadamakudy division in Ernakulam. During the scrutiny held today, her papers were rejected on the grounds that the people who signed in support of her nomination were not residents of the division. The UDF does not have a dummy candidate in this division. The UDF has decided to file an appeal against the rejection.

T. V. Raveendran’s nomination in Kalpetta was rejected due to an unresolved liability from his time as the municipal secretary. He had been instructed to repay the amount spent from the municipal fund for a football tournament organised during his tenure. Although part of the amount was repaid, he did not submit a certificate confirming that the entire liability had been cleared along with his nomination papers. C. S. Prabhakaran, who filed as a dummy candidate, is now likely to become the UDF candidate there.

In Palakkad municipality, the nomination papers of two LDF candidates were rejected. The papers for candidates in ward 50 (Karnaki Nagar West) and ward 51 (Vadakkanthara) were dismissed. Their nominations were rejected for failing to submit the previous year’s election expense accounts.