Cong candidate among rejected nominees in MP

Bhopal, Nov 8 (UNI) A Congress nominee was among more than 150 candidates, most of them either independents or dummies, whose nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny today in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

Former minister Jaswant Singh, who submitted his papers from Raisen district's Silwani, was knocked out of contention as a B Form was not submitted along with his papers.

A Congress objection against the nomination of Assembly Speaker Ishwardas Rohani, who is the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate contesting Jabalpur Cantonment, was struck down.

''Regarding Silwani, the party has placed its side of the matter before the Election Commission,'' Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee President Suresh Pachouri told reporters here.

The district-wise rejection break-up was Jabalpur 41, Mandsaur 22, Khandwa 13, Burhanpur 5, Indore 14, Rajgarh 20, Chhatarpur 25, Sagar 22 and Ratlam 18.

State Election Office sources said that a total 4,505 candidates, including 369 women, submitted papers for 230 seats. The maximum was 208 from Rewa district and the least nine from Alirajpur. November 10 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature, polling is scheduled for November 27 and counting on December 8.

UNI PKJ-AC 2128