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'Poorer' voters 'wanted to get rid of ex-mayor'
A CAMPAIGN to prevent a former Peterborough Mayor from becoming an MP led to a political shift which uncovered a potential vote rigging scandal, a court heard.
A CAMPAIGN to prevent a former Peterborough Mayor from becoming an MP led to a political shift which uncovered a potential vote rigging scandal, a court heard.Mohammed Choudhary told King's Lynn Crown Court that a large proportion of Peterborough's Central ward Pakistani community were unhappy with his growing social status.
Labour party member Choudhary had breezed through three local elections, and there was a feeling that if he regained his Peterborough City Council seat he would push on with his burgeoning political career.
The court heard that this upset the "poorer" members of Peterborough's Pakistani community, who thought that Choudhary, from a "richer" Pakistani upbringing, was going too far, too fast.
It created a strong push from Choudhary's ward opposition, and Choudhary lost his seat in June 2004 to the delight of new councillors, Abdul Razzaq, Raja Akhtar and Mohammed Sabir – who all hail from a "poorer" Pakistani background.
Nine months later, Choudhary was questioned by police after a number of Central ward voting forms came under suspicion.
Former bus conductor Choudhary is one of three Labour party members standing trial at over an alleged vote rigging scandal during council elections held in Peterborough in June 2004.
Speaking in court yesterday, Choudhary, who moved to Peterborough in 1970, said: "Some people thought I was going too far, too fast and they knew I wanted to become an MP.
"People were looking at where you came from back home, and I wasn't one of their clan so they wanted to get me out."
The court heard how Choudhary admitted filling in "away" postal votes and getting people to vote by proxy.
He said: "The literacy level in the ward is not very high, so if people asked for help filling in the form then I would do it."
However, he denied rigging the election, saying "I've never done it, or would I ever have done it.
"I had a large majority in the last election and the word on the street was that I would win again".
The court also heard how one of the 100 disallowed 2004 ballot papers belonged to Choudhary's wife Khalida.
For years Choudhary had been an influential figure in Peterborough's Asian community. He helped set up the Gladca group – which provides support to Peterborough people – and was Mayor of Peterborough between May 1996 and 1997.
Choudhary was forced to resign from his position on Peterborough Primary Care Trust when the allegations came about, but a place on the board has been reserved if his availability comes up in the future.
Choudhary (49), of Cobden Street, Tariq Mahmood (40), of Clarence Road, and Maqbool Hussain (51), Ledbury Road, deny a number of charges, including conspiracy to defraud and forgery.
The trial continues.
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