Kerala poll: Former minister Mani files nomination on first day

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani and Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan were among the candidates who filed their nominations on Friday for the 16 May Assembly elections, after the Election Commission issued notifications. The filing of nominations began at 11 am at various district collectorates after the Election Commission issued the notification for the polls to the 140 Assembly constituencies in the state. [caption id=“attachment_2744166” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Former Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani. News18[/caption] The filing of nominations will continue till 29 April and the scrutiny of papers will be held on 30 April. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is 2 May. BJP state President Kummanam Rajasekharan and former state unit chief V Muraleedharan also filed their nomination papers. 83-year-old Mani, leader of the Kerala Congress (M), a constituent of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front, who is contesting from Pala assembly constituency in Kottayam district, filed his nomination papers before the returning officer at Kottayam collectorate.

Mani, who holds the record of longest serving member of the state Assembly, had to resign from the Oommen Chandy cabinet in the wake of the corruption allegations against him in bar bribery scam. Besides Mani and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, K Muraleedharan, Padmaja Venugopal (both Congress) and C P John (CMP) also filed nominations from the United Democratic Front camp.