Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
An official BJP candidate arrived at the office of election returning officer–1, on Friday at 12.45 pm. He submitted an application before the ERO to withdraw his nomination. The officer asked a few questions. When the candidate said that he wanted to withdraw the two additional nominations he had filed as an independent candidate, the ERO was taken aback and held his head in disbelief.
ERO 1 includes Prabhags 3, 4, and 5. In one of these prabhags, the BJP had given an opportunity to a first-time candidate. The candidate had filed a total of three nomination papers, one as the party candidate and two as an independent. On Thursday, his party nomination was declared valid. In such a case, the remaining two independent nominations automatically stand rejected. However, the candidate was unaware of this rule. He came on Friday afternoon to withdraw the independent nomination papers.
Had the ERO accepted the withdrawal application without inquiry, the party’s official candidate himself would have been eliminated from the election race, leading to confusion. The officer pointed out the serious mistake the candidate was about to make. The candidate then left the office after expressing heartfelt gratitude.