The CPI(M) today demanded cancellation of the nomination of Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi for the Rajya Sabha election from West Bengal, alleging that there was a discrepancy regarding his age and that his forms were not properly filled.
Left Front-supported CPI(M) candidate for the RS polls, Rabin Deb alleged that there was a discrepancy between the age of Singhvi mentioned in his 2006 affidavit and the age written in the affidavit filed by him for the 2018 RS polls.
He wondered how the returning officer of the Rajya Sabha polls could "overlook" such a discrepancy and claimed that Singhvi's nomination forms were also not properly filled.
"We have written a letter to the Election Commission complaining about it and demanded that his (Singhvi's) nomination papers be cancelled," Deb said.
When contacted, Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha polls Jayanta Koley said, "All the nomination papers were in order at the time of submission. I am not aware of any such discrepancy."
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and Congress leader Abdul Mannan criticised the CPI(M) for resorting to "cheap politics" ahead of the biennial polls to the Upper House of Parliament.
"The Left Front knows that it will lose the election as it does not have the numbers on its side. So, it is coming up with baseless allegations," he said.
Six candidates, including Singhvi, are in the fray for the election to five Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal, scheduled to be held on March 23.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state has fielded four candidates -- Nadimul Haque, Subhasish Chakraborty, Abir Biswas and Santanu Sen -- and announced support to Congress' Singhvi for the fifth seat.
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