Gopalganj: The scrutiny of nominations for six assembly constituencies in Gopalganj district concluded on Saturday, with a total of 52 nominations accepted across the seats. Among the candidates, Dharmendra Kumar Gupta, better known as Dharmendra Krantikari, saw his bid to contest the Barauli assembly constituency rejected after filing his nomination in handcuffs.
Krantikari, the candidate of the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD), arrived at the district Collectorate under police protection, drawing a large crowd of supporters. However, election officials invalidated his nomination during scrutiny, citing the concealment of crucial information in his affidavit.
Currently in jail on multiple charges, including land fraud, Krantikari had obtained court permission to appear at the Collectorate and complete the nomination formalities. Following the rejection, he was returned to custody.
Speaking to supporters, Krantikari described the allegations against him as part of a conspiracy, claiming the local MLA of Barauli and his son had falsely accused him. “All the allegations against me are false. I have been framed,” he said, drawing sympathy from his supporters, many of whom had gathered to witness the process.
The scrutiny process across the district was conducted under the supervision of general observers appointed by the Election Commission of India, with a strict emphasis on transparency and compliance. While all 12 nominations were accepted in the Gopalganj assembly constituency, other constituencies saw a mix of acceptances and rejections: Baikunthpur (seven accepted, nine rejected), Barauli (ten accepted, eight rejected), Kuchaikot (seven accepted, one rejected), Bhore (six accepted, one rejected), and Hathua (ten accepted, one rejected). The nomination of Grand Alliance-backed CPI (ML) leader Jitendra Paswan, arrested in an old attempted murder case, was also rejected in Bhore. Officials noted that the cases of Krantikari and Paswan underscore the Election Commission’s rigorous adherence to rules and zero tolerance for procedural violations.
