HYDERABAD: Election officials on Monday, the first day of scrutiny, rejected the candidature of YSRC candidate Uday Bhaskar from the Rampachodavaram (ST) Assembly seat. Officials found that he did not belong to the Scheduled Tribes, after the Congress objected to his candidature. The YSRC then declared Ms V. Rajeswari as its official nominee for the seat in East Godavari district.
Elsewhere, caste status and pending criminal cases brought last minute headaches for YSRC and TD candidates in Seemandhra. The nominations of YSRC MP nominees, Kottapalli Geeta from Araku, and K Parthasaradhi from Machilipatnam, were accepted after high drama.
The nominations of YSRC Vizag East MLA nominee Vamsi Krishna and TD Bheemili Assembly candidate Ganta Srinivasa Rao were kept pending. The drama over Ms Geeta’s nomination began after CPM accused the Araku LS candidate of submitting a false caste certificate.
Candidates under scrutiny
CPM activists from Visakhapatnam alleged that though Araku LS candidate Kottapalli Geetha and her forefathers belonged to the Mala group of the Scheduled Castes, she claimed that she belonged to the Valmiki group of the Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The CPM alleged that her real name was mentioned as Gladya Jacob on her education qualification certificates while her parents are Jacob and Shiji and the family were converted Dalit Christians and belonged to the BC ‘C’ group.
After an inquiry, her ST status certificate had been cancelled by the then joint collector of East Godavari K. Mangapathi Rao under proceedings B2-12039/92 on October 30, 1993. Ms Geetha then approached the High Court and got the order quashed in 2002. However, CPM leader Ch Narasinga Rao alleged that a fresh enquiry is pending against her.
Ms Geeta alleged that a “malicious campaign” was being run against her. “I am going to file a contempt of court case against those who are trying to create this controversy. As the YSRC wave is very strong, and my victory is almost confirmed, they are resorting to this.”
The nomination of Mr Parthasaradhi, YSRC parliamentary nominee from Machilipatnam, was accepted after the High Court extended the stay on his conviction in a FERA violation case.
TD leader Koneru Suresh has lodged a complaint against him stating that he is ineligible as he was convicted and an appeal is pending in the higher court. The returning officer gave Mr Parthasaradhi time till 5.30 pm to submit the HC order staying the extension. The case pertains to 2002.
The nominations of YSRC Vizag East MLA nominee Vamsi Krishna and TD Bheemili Assembly candidate Ganta Srinivasa Rao of the TD have been kept pending. The CPM objected to Mr Srinivasa Rao, alleging that his firms had secured government contracts.
The YSRC has filed objections against TD’s Madakasira nominee Eranna alleging that he did not mention that criminal cases had been booked against him in Karnataka. The YSRC also filed a complaint against TD Rajahmundry MP nominee and film actor M. Muralikrishna, alleging that he had shown assets of his wife wrongly in the affidavit.
Election authorities rejected the nomination of Jai Samaikyandhra party candidate Vinod Kumar from Bheemili because he is two days short of 25 years, the age at which one can stand for elections.
