UDF nearly loses Sandeep Varier in Trikaripur as nomination papers go wrong; last-minute scramble saves the day
Despite the near-disqualification, Varier's nomination was accepted, allowing him to continue his campaign in Trikaripur
Despite the near-disqualification, Varier's nomination was accepted, allowing him to continue his campaign in Trikaripur
Despite the near-disqualification, Varier's nomination was accepted, allowing him to continue his campaign in Trikaripur
Kasaragod: The Congress-led UDF came perilously close to losing its star candidate Sandeep Varier in Trikaripur, after he submitted a flawed set of nomination papers, triggering a frantic, last-minute scramble that ended just minutes before the deadline.
At 2.55 pm, five minutes before the 3 pm deadline on Monday, March 23, Varier finally managed to file a corrected set at the Hosdurg taluk office, capping nearly three hours of intense confusion and pressure. "We were on pins and needles," said IUML leader Adv M T P Abdul Kareem, who notarised one set of Varier's affidavit.
The trouble began around 11.20 am, when Varier, accompanied by Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnithan and District Congress president P K Faisal, submitted his papers before Hosdurg Tahsildar P K Premanandan.
Officials raised the first red flag, pointing out that the affidavit was on Rs 100 stamp paper instead of ₹200.
"Around noon, I got a call from the MP saying there was a mix-up," said B M Jamal Patel, a Congressman and advocate who was at the Kanhangad civil station assisting another candidate. "When I reached, I realised the stamp paper issue was the least of the problems."
Key details, including disclosures about criminal cases and assets, were either missing or incorrectly reported. The handwritten Form 26 also raised legibility concerns.
With rejection looming, Jamal rushed Varier to a house at Athinhal near Kanhangad town. What followed was a race against time.
Fresh stamp papers of ₹200 and ₹500 were procured. Adv Jamal Patel redrafted the affidavit on one, while Abdul Kareem helped with the other.
As the deadline neared, Varier was visibly anxious. But the lawyers kept their calm.
At 2.30 pm, Adv Jamal Patel asked Varier to head to the taluk office and secure the token before the 3 pm deadline. Fifteen minutes later, affidavit in hand, Jamal followed. "We drove at ambulance speed," he said. They arrived at 2.55 pm.
Inside, Adv P Venugopalan notarised the final set prepared by Jamal, while Abdul Kareem attested the other set. The papers were submitted just in time.
"We erred. The affidavit should have been ready the previous day," Adv Abdul Kareem admitted, blaming a botched preparation. Both lawyers maintained that ₹100 stamp paper was valid for an affidavit. "But the objection was a blessing in disguise," said Adv Jamal Patel. "Otherwise, the other mistakes would have gone unnoticed, and the nomination could have been rejected."
The episode forced Varier to cancel two UDF conventions in Nileshwar and Cheruvathur on Monday, leaders said.
With the hurdle cleared, Varier remains in the fray, where he also faces a namesake independent, Sandeep Elatt. CPM candidate V PP Musthafa, meanwhile, has two namesakes in the contest, Musthafa V P and Musthafa P P, both independents. The BJP-led NDA has fielded Ravi Kulangara of Twenty20 in Trikaripur. A party-hopper, Kulangara, was last with NCP.