Mainpuri by-election: BJP fields Raghuraj Singh Shakya against SP's Dimple Yadav
Mainpuri by-election: Shakya, 58, had won the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election from Etawah. He was considered close to Shivpal Yadav, however, quit his Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party earlier this year to join the BJP.
Mainpuri by-election: Ending days of speculation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced its candidate for Mainpuri by-election. The party had fielded Raghuraj Singh Shakya against Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav.
Shakya, 58, had won the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election from Etawah. He was considered close to Shivpal Yadav, however, quit his Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party earlier this year to join the BJP.
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Thanking the party to picking him for the contest, Shakya said,"The party has given me a huge responsibility. I thank PM Modi, CM Yogi Adityanath and the party. The people of the country will work to bring about a change. The people of Mainpuri are ready for change."
The by-election in Mainpuri, considered to a pocket borough of the Yadav family, has been necessitated after the the deat of Samajwadi Party founder leader Mulayam Singh Yadav in October.
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While the BJP is hoping to dent the SP's Mainpuri citadel similar to what it did in Azamgarh and Rampur in Lok Sabha elections, Akhilesh Yadav would be hoping to cash in on the sympathy votes. However, the task has become a bit difficult for him due to the fallout with uncle Shivpal.
Dimple declares assets worth Rs 14 crore
Dimple Yadav has declared movable and immovable assets worth over Rs 14 crore. Her property rose marginally since 2019 when she unsuccessfully contested parliamentary polls from Kannauj. Her assets were over Rs 13 crore then.
According to the affidavit submitted with her nomination papers on Monday, she has immovable assets worth over Rs 9.61 crore and movable assets worth Rs 4.70 crore. Her husband and SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav has immovable assets worth over Rs 17.22 crore, the affidavit said.
The total worth of their combined immovable assets is over Rs 26.83 crore.
(With PTI inputs)