Georgian Dream majoritarian MP candidate in Khashuri single-mandate constituency has moved closer to securing seat in the Parliament after UNM candidate announced on Saturday that he was withdrawing from the race.

Repeat election in nine out of 53 precincts of Khashuri single-mandate constituency is scheduled for October 14.

Election results in those nine precincts were annulled because of violations. Khashuri, town in Shida Kartli region, saw some of the most serious violations, involving masked armed men breaking into several polling stations; police units in riot gears were also involved in some of the incidents.

Sergo Kitiashvili of the United National Movement (UNM) said on October 13, that he was withdrawing from the race because of “pressure” and “aggression” exerted on his campaign staffers and local election commission officials by his rival candidate from the Georgian Dream Valery Gelashvili and his supporters. Gelashvili’s campaign staff denied the allegation.

Not counting those precincts where election results were annulled and where repeat polls will be held, Gelashvili is leading the race in Khashuri over Kitiashvili by 4,069 votes.

Despite Kitiashvili’s announcement about withdrawal from the race, his name will anyway be on the ballot papers during the repeat elections.

Repeat elections will also be held on October 14 in precinct No.5 of Signagi single-mandate constituency in Kakheti region, where ex-head of State Audit Agency Levan Bezhashvili of UNM and Georgian Dream’s Gela Gelashvili are two major contenders.

Repeat polls will also be held in precinct No.4 of Gori single-mandate constituency where UNM’s Giorgi Tatishvili and Georgian Dream's Malkhaz Vakhtangashvili are two major contenders.