Tirupati: Scrutiny of nominations results in huge rejections

Tirupati: As expected by the opposition parties, the scrutiny of nominations in the ongoing local body elections has went in favour of the ruling party candidates with the rejection of hundreds of nominations of their rivals. During scrutiny of nominations on Thursday, as many as 717 nominations in MPTC elections and 65 in ZPTC elections were rejected by the concerned returning officers citing various reasons.

Several TDP leaders have alleged that the important documentary evidence from their nomination papers was missing and the officials have rejected the nominations showing the same reason. They have decided to appeal against rejections.

"They have put in all efforts to see that the nomination pepers of opposition candidates are rejected and got succeeded. They threatened our candidates to leave the scrutiny room at some places. The process of intimidation was at its peak", said a TDP leader. In Kuppam segment, TDP candidate nomination was rejected in Mankaladoddi MPTC seat as the candidate's supporter has wrongly entered his voter ID card number.

At several other places, the returning officers have cited the reasons like incomplete forms, lack of signatures, non submission of no dues certificates regarding taxes paid etc., As the scrutiny was over, the stage has now set for wooing or intimidating the opposition candidates to withdraw their nominations in the bid to make the elections unanimous in favour of YSRCP.

As many as 415 nominations out of 480 were found to be valid after scrutiny for ZPTC elections in 65 seats. Similarly, out of 4,260 MPTC nominations, 3,543 were valid for 858 seats. Amidst high drama, the scrutiny went on till late night on Thursday at many places.

After appeals on Friday and withdrawals on Saturday, the final picture will emerge.

Interestingly, 10 ZPTC candidates are set to win unanimously as they remained the sole candidates in the fray after scrutiny. The 10 seats are B Kothakota, BN Kandriga, Kalakada, Sadum, Srikalahasti, Somala, Thottambedu, Tirupati Rural, Valmikipuram and Yadamari.

Out of these 10 seats, nominations of opposition parties were rejected in six mandals, which paved the way for YSRCP candidates to win unopposed. In the other four seats, opposition candidates did not file their papers for various reasons.