After scrutiny and withdrawal, 10 in fray for Kaushambi Lok Sabha seat

Following scrutiny and withdrawal of nominations on Monday, a total of 10 candidates remain in the election fray for the Kaushambi Lok Sabha seat. The constituency will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20.

According to district election officials, one independent candidate, Shailendra, withdrew his candidacy on Monday. Election symbols have also been distributed to independent candidates. The independent candidates have immediately begun printing their posters, banners, handbills, etc., to start canvassing and make people aware of the symbols allotted to them.

The nomination process for the Lok Sabha seat started on April 26. A total of 36 people obtained nomination papers, but only 19 filed them. Scrutiny of nomination papers was held on April 4. During scrutiny, the nominations of 8 candidates were rejected. Among them was SP candidate Pushpendra Saroj’s father and SP’s national general secretary, Indrajeet Saroj. Cheddu, a serial poll candidate who made headlines as a victim of an incident of misbehavior by senior police official moments after filing his papers, was also among the candidates whose nomination was rejected. This left 11 candidates in the fray. However, on the day of the withdrawal of nominations and the allotment of election symbols on Monday, Independent candidate Shailendra Kumar withdrew his name, leaving just 10 candidates in the election fray.

The candidates in the race include INDIA bloc candidate Pushpendra Saroj contesting on the SP symbol, sitting MP Vinod Sonkar of BJP, Shubh Narayan Gautam from BSP, Narendra Kumar of Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), Manavtawadi Samaj Party’s Ram Asre, Bharatiya Shakti Chetna Party’s Rameshwar Prasad, and independent candidates Pushpendra Kumar Saroj, Pradeep Kumar, Rajendra Sonkar aka Panna Bhaiya, and Sanjay Kumar.

Poll officials said that election symbols have been allotted to all independent candidates. Narendra Kumar has been allotted the ‘Envelope’ symbol, Ram Asare has been given the ‘Scissors’ symbol, Rameshwar Prasad has been allotted the ‘Flute’ symbol, Pushpendra Saroj has been given the ‘Auto Rickshaw’ symbol, Pradeep Kumar has been allotted the ‘Bat’ symbol, Rajendra Sonkar has been given the ‘Cot’ symbol, while Sanjay Kumar has been allotted the ‘Box’ symbol.

As soon as the election symbols were allotted, security personnel were also provided to the independent candidates, officials said.