Kochi, March 19 In a setback for NDA ally Twenty20 in Kerala, the party withdrew two actress candidates on Thursday after their names were found missing from the voter list.
The party withdrew Lakshmi Priya's candidature from Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district and Veena Nair's candidature from Ettumanoor in Kottayam district.
Party sources said that both candidates did not have their names in the voter list, despite having voted in previous elections.
Twenty20 announced in a statement that Jibi Pathiykkal would replace Lakshmi Priya in Perumbavoor.
"The change was made after Lakshmi Priya's name was not found in the voter list, prompting the party to withdraw her candidature," the statement said.
Pathiykkal, a former Congress functionary in Perumbavoor, later joined Twenty20. He has also served as the secretary of the Jacobite Youth Association in the area.
Interestingly, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) has fielded Basil Paul, who also has a Congress background, setting up a contest involving multiple candidates with links to the grand old party.
There is also uncertainty over the candidature of Congress sitting MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly, who has reportedly threatened to contest as an independent if denied a ticket.
If that happens, Perumbavoor could witness a contest involving four leaders with Congress roots.
Meanwhile, actress Veena Nair said she last voted in 2020 in Changanassery but had not updated her details in the Assembly electoral roll.
"When I checked the voter list as part of the candidature process, my name was not there. I realized that the voter list for Assembly elections and local body elections is different," she said.
She admitted that she had not made any rectifications during the nomination process.
Nair said she had spoken to Twenty20 chief Sabu M Jacob regarding the issue and that the party would soon announce a replacement candidate as the deadline for filing nominations ends on March 23.
"But I will work for the party, whoever becomes the candidate. It is a party that works for common people," she said.
Apart from Priya and Nair, actress Anjali Nair is set to contest from Tripunithura, while reality show participant and director Akhil Marar will contest from Thrikkakara.