Candidate ban threatens Iraqi results

BAGHDAD, March 10 (UPI) -- The disqualification of candidates in Iraq's recent election threatens to disrupt the formation of a new government, a former Iraqi prime minister said.

The candidates were disqualified on election eve by a commission empowered to ban government officials perceived to be loyal to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party.

Most of the 55 disqualified candidates belonged to the Iraqiya list of former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, which appeared to have drawn strong support from secular and Sunni communities in Sunday's election, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

Annulling votes for the banned candidates could lead the Iraqiya coalition to allege vote-rigging by rival politicians, including some in the Shiite-led camp of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Allawi told The Post Tuesday.

"It will be a very violent reaction," said Allawi, who is a Shiite. "A lot of violence will take place, and God knows how this will end."

More than 6,000 candidates competed for 325 parliamentary seats in the election. Preliminary results were expected to be announced Wednesday.