The Hindu : Kerala News : Antony to be elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Antony to be elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha

Special Correspondent

K. M. Mani accepts Oommen Chandy's proposal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The former Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, on Tuesday emerged the sole candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat, election to which had been scheduled for June 3. Adding to the drama that led to Mr. Antony's nomination for the seat, the Left Democratic Front did not put up a candidate for the election on the last date for filing nomination papers.

With no other candidate in the field, Mr. Antony would be elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha seat in the vacancy caused by K. Karunakaran's resignation. The formal announcement would be made after scrutiny of papers.

Prior to the filing of his papers, the UDF leaders met at the Finance Minister, Vakkom Purushothaman's house. The Revenue Minister, K. M. Mani, who had staked a claim for the seat, agreed to sign on the nomination papers, after he was assured that his claim would be considered for the next vacancy as and when it arose. All UDF leaders, with the exception of M. V. Raghavan signed on the nomination. Mr. Raghavan is at present campaigning for his candidate in the Azheekode Assembly constituency, which is witnessing a byelection.

After filing his nomination, Mr. Antony said he would fight for Kerala's interests both inside and outside Parliament. The Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, said no one in the UDF or the Congress had disputed Mr. Mani's claim to the Rajya Sabha seat. It was the force of circumstances that had prompted the Congress party to field a candidate. The Kerala Congress (M)'s demand is just and the Congress was not averse to considering his claims next time, he said. In reply to a question, Mr. Chandy said the nomination of Mr. Antony was quite unexpected.

No Left candidate

The LDF decision not to field a candidate for the seat in fact saved the day for the MLAs supporting Mr. Karunakaran. In the event of an election, they would have had to obey the Congress whip further complicating the political situation.

In the process, a morbid anti-Marxist like Antony found himself without an opponent from the LDF.

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