The Hindu : Kerala News : UDF misleading voters: IFDP

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Sunday, May 09, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

UDF misleading voters: IFDP

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, MAY 8. The Indian Federal Democratic Party (IFDP) working president, Scaria Thomas, has charged the United Democratic Front (UDF) with adopting unfair means to mislead voters of Muvattupuzha.

In a statement here today, Mr. Thomas said he was fully confident of the victory of the IFDP candidate and Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, P.C. Thomas, in Muvattupuzha despite the rival camp's questionable activities. He alleged that the UDF had pressurised the returning officer to enlist the names of two other candidates as P.C. Thomas in the ballot paper though their names were different in the electoral rolls. One of these candidates was a native of Thiruvalla.

The IFDP leader accused the Revenue Minister, K.M. Mani, of misusing power owing to the fear arising out of the impending failure of his son and UDF candidate in Muvattupuzha, Jose K. Mani. The move was to mislead voters and it amounted to betrayal of the electorate. He alleged that many voters were being paid money to vote for the UDF candidate. He said that there was a misleading campaign in the initial phase of the electioneering that the IFDP candidate was not in the front row of candidates. ``At present, they have lost their balance. Both fronts have become insignificant now. This is the first time that a candidate is being preferred to the other fronts, beyond all political considerations,'' he said adding that almost all UDF sympathisers were rallying behind Mr. Thomas.

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