Fate of three Cong candidates hangs in balance

The election authorities on Wednesday conducted scrutiny of nomination papers filed by the candidates aspiring to contest the election.

Nomination papers of some candidates, including that of Manjunath in Mulbagal and Roopa in KGF constituencies in Kolar district (both Congress), have not been cleared due to technical reasons. The district election officers have kept their nomination papers pending.

Roopa Shashidhar, the daughter of Kolar MP K H Muniyappa, is the Congress nominee from KGF. Bhaktavatsalam, the JD(S) candidate from KGF has filed an objection stating that Roopa’s name appears in the electoral rolls of Tumakuru as well as that of Bethamangala in KGF taluk. He had urged the election officer to reject the papers of Roopa.

In her clarification, Roopa said that she had submitted an application to the authorities concerned to drop her name from voters’ list in Tumakuru. She claimed that she was in possession of the endorsement issued in this regard.

The election officer directed Roopa to furnish the endorsement and reserved the decision on her nomination to Thursday.

Similarly, the scrutiny of the nomination papers of Ashok Kheny, the Congress nominee for Bidar South is also kept in abeyance. Social worker T J Abraham has raised objection to Kheny’s candidature stating that latter stays in the US and had not obtained citizenship in India. He has also stated that Kheny has entered into an agreement with the government in the name of NICE and hence he should not be allowed to contest the elections.

Deputy Commissioner Anirudh Shravan said that Kheny has been asked to furnish his explanation to the objections on Thursday and till such time the scrutiny of his nomination is kept in abewyance.

Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar said a decision on pending nomination papers will be taken by Thursday evening.