Cong selects candidates for Sujapur by-election

MALDA, 15 OCT.: The Congress in Malda today selected two alternative candidates for the Sujapur Assembly by-poll as, it is uncertain whether the party's proposed nominee so far Mr A N Khan Choudhury would be able to file nomination for the by-poll on time or not.

The Congress leadership today faxed all the three names to the South Malda MP and district president, Mr AH Khan Choudhury in New Delhi.

Though the Congress leaders did not disclose the names of the two alternative prospects, the party’s district vice president Mr Masidur Rahman said: “A section of party leaders from Sujapur did not accept the name of Mr Hamidur Rahman, as an alternative candidate."

The South Malda MP had proposed Mr Rahman’s name as an alternative candidate.

The party’s district working president Mrs Sabitri Mitra said that all 14 gram panchayat presidents, who attended today's selection meeting have accepted Mr AN Khan Choudhury’s candidature for the Sujapur bypolls but consented to keep two alternative names handy in case he failed to file nomination.

A citizenship controversy dogs Mr AN Khan Choudhury. He has not been able to include his name in the Malda voters’ list till now.

“The South Malda MP would take the final decision on the candidate,” Mrs Mitra said.

There is apprehension among the Congress leadership that the CPI-M or someone at their behest may file objection against the inclusion of Mr Khan Choudhury's name in the Malda electoral rolls as a time killing tactics, which eventually would deprive Mr fKhan Choudhury from filing nomination on time.

The CPI-M district secretary Mr Jiban Moitra, however, rubbished the contention: “We do not have any plan to lodge objection against Mr Khan Choudhury's inclusion in the Malda voters’ list. We are concerned only with the Representation of The People Act.”

Mr A N Khan Choudhury, the proposed Congress candidate for Sujapur submitted an application to the election authority claiming he was a permanent resident of Delhi. He had also urged for deletion of his name from the electoral rolls.

“How can he again claim inclusion of his name in the rolls here within seven days? A person has to reside at least six months in a constituency to have his name included in the voters’ list,” Mr Moitra pointed out. ;SNS