Congress in a dilemma in Sujapur

MALDA, 12 OCT: The Congress in Malda may have to keep an alternative candidate ready for the Sujapur bypolls as, the proposed candidate Mr Abu Naser Khan Choudhury is facing problems in filing nomination due to complexities arising out of his citizenship issue.

Mr AN Khan Choudhury, who is the brother of South Malda MP, Mr Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, today applied to the electoral registration officer Mr Prakash Pal, requesting him to include his name in the voters’ list so that he could file nomination to contest the by-poll.

Incidentally, the PCC chief Mr Pranab Mukherjee has raised questions about Mr AN Khan Choudhury and has asked the party state leadership to keep an alternative name handy.

It may be noted that Mr AN Khan Choudhury could not contest in the last Parliamentary elections due to a citizenship controversy.

He had thereafter applied for Indian citizenship and reportedly got it on 10 August this year after receiving proper clearance from the Swiss government.

He included his name in the Delhi voters’ list and asked the Malda administration to strike off his name from the Malda voters’ list to avoid fresh controversy, which was complied with.

He, however, later learnt that he had to be a voter of the state he intended to contest a by-election from and has now urged the electoral registration officer to include his name in the Malda voters’ list.

“I was not aware about the rule. I wanted to delete my name from the Malda voters’ list as, it was illegal and enlisted when I was not an Indian citizen. I have deleted my name from the Delhi voters’ list and today I appealed to the Malda administration to include my name in the Malda voters’ list,” Mr Khan Choudhury said here today.

While the Malda district magistrate Mr Sridhar Ghosh said the electoral registration officer would take action in accordance with the election commission guideline, the ERO Mr Prakash Pal issued a public notice on the matter today and would inquire into Mr AN Khan Choudhury's citizenship status, it is learnt.

The ERO will have to wait for seven days after issuing the notice today for objections if any and other information before including Mr Khan Choudhury's name in the Malda voters’ list.

The candidates would have to file nomination between 14 October and 21 October to contest the Sujapur bypolls. Under the circumstances, there just might not be time enough for Mr Khan Choudhury to file nomination and, that is the Congress’s dilemma. ;SNS