KOCHI: A day after the returning officer in Amethi postponed the scrutiny of Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s nomination papers, Thushar Vellappally, the NDA candidate contesting against the Gandhi scion in Wayanad constituency, approached the Kerala Chief Electoral Officer demanding a review of the decision to accept his nomination.
In his letter, Thushar pointed out the returning officer in Amethi has postponed the scrutiny of Rahul’s nomination after serious doubts were raised about his educational qualification and citizenship.
“I understand Shri Rahul Gandhi is not eligible to contest the Parliament Election and his nomination is to be rejected,” he said.
Thushar alleged as per the information he could gather, Rahul is not a citizen of India.
He is understood to be the director and secretary of a private British company named BACKOPS Ltd, where he is described as a British citizen in the returns filed by the company in 2005, 2006 and 2009, said Thushar.
He alleged Rahul’s affidavit does not disclose the assets and profits with regard to the UK firm. “It is said Rahul has professedly used the name Raul Vinci in his educational certificate. There is no evidence to substantiate Raul Vinci and Rahul Gandhi are the same person,” said Thushar.
He urged the CEO to obtain a sworn affidavit from Rahul to ensure he is an Indian citizen, that Rahul Gandhi and Raul Vinci are one and the same and Rahul holds only one Indian passport. He requested the CEO to postpone the election in Wayanad for at least a fortnight in view of the objections of Constitutional nature.
Earlier Dhruv Raj, an independent candidate contesting against Rahul in Amethi, had raised objections over his candidature alleging discrepancies in his affidavit regarding citizenship and educational qualification.
NDA seeks postponing of Wayanad election
Kalpetta: NDA leaders have approached Central Election Commission, State Election Commission and Wayanad District Collector, seeking to postpone the election in Wayanad constituency in the wake of the complaint filed with returning officer in Amethi seat against Gandhi’s candidature in which allegations and objections have been made about his citizenship and qualification.
The returning officer has directed to submit a reply by Rahul Gandhi by Monday. In this circumstance, the election should be postponed at least for a fortnight for conducting a free and fair poll, said NDA leaders. Complainant Dhruv Raj cited purported copies of a certificate of incorporation of a UK-registered firm in which Rahul is stated to be a British national. He had claimed that the UK company had existed for five years and would have made some profit, but that has not been disclosed in the affidavit.