An Agatha Christie-esque script for the PDL electoral lists. And as in any mystery, the twists and turns came in a flurry. The latest in chronological order was the announcement by Luigi Cesaro, former president of the Province of Naples: “Nicola Cosentino has withdrawn from the candidacy. Shortly thereafter, the jab of the secretary Angelino Alfano: "Not nominating him was the right choice".
Thus ends the controversial story of the former undersecretary, under investigation for relations with the Camorra and therefore at the top of the list of "unpresentable" (two arrest warrants are pending on him). But Cosentino's was by no means a spontaneous or painless renunciation. "There was a cannibalistic campaign against me – he said returning to Caserta after a dramatic conversation at Palazzo Grazioli -, but I'm not afraid of prison".
In the list of "renouncers", in addition to Marcello Dell'Utri, also appear Marco Milanese, former Tremonti consultant under investigation for conspiracy and corruption, e Claudius Scajola, the former minister who had been bought a house overlooking the Colosseum "without his knowledge".
Very different fate for the former IDV Dominic Scilipoti, who will run to sit once again in Parliament in the PDL seats. The former director of Tg1 Augustus Minzolini will be number two in Liguria (Silvio Berlusconi is in first place in all the lists for the Senate), while the former socialist Franco Carraro will be nominated in Emilia Romagna. Also to the resigning governor of Lombardy, Roberto Fromigoni, a place in the lists has been allocated for Palazzo Madama. His former colleague Renata Polverinini he instead remedied a third place in Lazio 1.
But yesterday's plot is not over. Pidiellino has arrived to dye the chaotic afternoon with mystery the incredible disappearance of the Campania lists, those with the signatures of those who had already accepted the candidacy. A big problem, given that they had to be delivered by 20 pm. And so a frenetic activity of photocopiers and pens started to collect all the signatures again.
But who stole them? Someone in the PDL accused Cosentino himself, suspected of a grotesque spite, but then the party denied: no theft, the lists have always been in the safe hands of the regional commissioner of Campania, senator Francesco Nitto Palma. So why would you recompile all over again? Once again it is Cesaro who clarifies: "The signatures were in Nitto Palma's custody, who was untraceable: for three-four hours we were anxious and then we started to take the signatures again".
The confirmation of Nitto Palma himself arrives shortly: “After the decision taken by the leaders of the Pdl not to include Nicola Cosentino in the lists, I telephoned the honorable Cosentino and I could not find him. Consequently, for prudential reasons we proceeded to repeat the documentation. At 16 pm I was in Caserta and the honorable Cosentino gave me the entire documentation relating to Campania 2”. The list was presented a few minutes before the deadline. To keep the suspense going.
