Congress suffers setback following final voter list publication; Vaishna Suresh's name removed by Election Commission

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress has suffered a major setback following the publication of the final voter list in the corporation elections. The name of Vaishna Suresh, who was declared as the Congress candidate in the Muttada ward, has been removed from the voter list by the Election Commission. The CPM had filed a complaint stating that the address given by Vaishna to include her name in the voter list was incorrect and that she should be removed from the list. The commission upheld this. The final voter list was published today, but Vaishna's name is not in it.

Corporation officials say that there is a problem with the address given by Vaishna. Vaishna, who has a family home in Muttada, lives in a rented house in Ambalamukku. The rule is that a person can contest for the council only if his/her name is in the voter list of any ward in the corporation. Vaishna had voted in the last Lok Sabha elections. The Congress and Vaishna have decided to appeal against the removal of her name from the voter list. Vaishna Suresh is also the KSU District Vice President. Vaishna had earlier responded that the CPM was afraid of defeat and that she was not worried.