Fernandes complains to EC about JD (U) polls

Fernandes alleged that a large number of delegates were appointed without holding proper organisational elections.

Sulking after being humbled in the JD(U) presidential contest, former party president George Fernandes has alleged "serious irregularities" in the organisational elections.

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In a letter faxed to the Election Commission on Wednesday, a day after he suffered a humiliating 413-25 defeat at the hands of JD(U) parliamentary board chairman Sharad Yadav, Fernandes is learnt to have alleged that a large number of delegates were appointed without holding proper organisational elections.

"Like you, I too have come to learn about it," party general secretary and national spokesman Shambhu Shrivastwa said.

Party sources said that Aneel Hegde, who was removed as returning officer for the election of president just before polling for the party's top post began on April 11, had also lodged a complaint before the EC holding his ouster by the JD(U) national executive and appointment of Subhas Srivastava, an MLA from Uttar Pradesh, in his place as "unconstitutional".

Hegde, a Fernandes loyalist, was learnt to have said in his complaint that if there were charges against him, he should have been issued a show cause notice by the national executive and the poll postponed.

When asked for his comments on Hegde's complaint, Shambhu Shrivastwa said "it lacks any basis. Hegde had ratified the list of the national council members, who constitute the electoral college for presidential election, before nominations began. How can he later claim there were irregularities in selection of council members?"