Unsuccessful candidates slam new legislature

Candidates who failed to be elected to parliament held a rally in the eastern city of Jalalabad on December 19 at which they described the body as illegitimate. They said the elected members were not the true representatives of the people, as they had used their power and guns to get into parliament. Soon after the September 18 polls, nearly 250 failed candidates from Nangarhar province [of which Jalalabad is capital] began protesting against what they said was a rigged election. The group of 40 ex-candidates led by Malik Nazir reappeared again when parliament held its opening session. A spokesman for the group, Atta Mohammad Nijat, said decisions taken by the new legislature would not be accepted by the people.