Opposition leader, Ministers file nominations

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 5 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly and CPI(M) Politburo member V S Achutanandan, Ministers Aryadan Mohammed, Kutty Ahamed Kutty, E T Mohammed Basheer, K Muneer and A Sujanapal were among the 132 candidates who filed their nominations for the second phase of Assembly polls to be held on April 29.

Mr Achutanandan filed his papers from Malampuzha and Mr Mohammed (Cong) from Nilambur, Election Commission sources said.

While Mr Kutty Ahamed Kutty (IUML) filed his papers from Tirurangadi, his party colleague Basheer did it from Tirur.

Dr Muneer of the IUML filed his papers from Mankada and Mr Sujanapal (Cong) from Kozhikode one.

CITU national secretary M M Lawrence from Ernakulam and CPI state Assistant Secretary K E Ismail from Pattambi were the other prominent candidates who filed their nomination papers.

The last date for filing nominations for Phase Two is April 7.

In that phase, 66 constituencies in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts would go to polls.

The elections in the state are being held in three phases and the notification for the final phase of polls was issued today.

In the first phase of polls, 536 candidates were left in the fray for 59 constituencies in the six southern districts, scrutiny of which was taken up today. A total of 76 nominations were rejected.

The third phase on May 3 would involve only 15 constituencies in the northern districts of Kannur and Kasaragod.

Counting of votes would take place on May 11.

UNI PN AA PM BS2107