The men wonder if they're paying the price of party leader Stephane Dion's vow to ensure 30 per cent of Liberal candidates in the next election are women.

Ed Corrigan and Ab Chahbar are among three men seeking the Liberal nod in London-Fanshawe, where all three women in the race have been approved to run by party brass -- despite the fact they applied after Corrigan and Chabhar.

Corrigan noted that while he and Chahbar and Chahbar's cousin Salim (Sam) Chahbar have sold more than 2,000 party memberships, the three women have sold only a few dozen among them.

Riding association president Jim McGregor said the order of filing paperwork was Gauthier, followed by White, Ab Chahbar, Corrigan, Bedard and Salim Chahbar.

Ab Chahbar said he submitted his candidate papers March 28 or 29 and was promised he'd hear back within two weeks. He said he remains in limbo and if an election is called soon, he'd be at a disadvantage because only approved candidates can have access to all-important party membership lists.

At the Ontario headquarters of the Liberal Party of Canada, executive director Judi Longfield dismissed suggestions the party is bypassing men in favour of women.

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