LONDON: An Indian-origin local grocer Abdul Arain, who had stood for elections to become the 108th chancellor of the University of Cambridge, lost on Sunday to the official candidate Lord Sainsbury, who won beating two other candidates. Arain, who made news with his candidature, polled the least number of votes. University sources said that of the 5,558 votes cast, Lord Sainsbury polled 2,893 votes, while actor Brain Blessed got 1,389, barrister Michael Mansfield 964 and Abdul Arain 312. Lord Sainsbury, owns the major retail chain, Sainsbury's, will be the 802-year-old university's 108th chancellor. Arain opposed plans to open a Sainsbury's superstore near his grocery in an election campaign that was widely billed as a David and Goliath contest. The election to the chancellorship was held after Prince Philip retired in June. In 1950, several university dons proposed Jawaharlal Nehru's name as a candidate for the chancellorship when the incumbent, Jan Smuts, died. But Nehru felt he could be of no service as he was busy as India's prime minister, and eventually persuaded his supporters to withdraw his candidature. Those who had nominated Nehru included Bertrand Russell, EM Forster and Lord Mountbatten.
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