Congress announces nominees for Uttar Pradesh bypoll

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Friday announced the party's nominees for three of the 11 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat that would go for by-elections Nov 7.

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi Friday announced the party's nominees for three of the 11 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat that would go for by-elections Nov 7.

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The three names were announced after prolonged debate and discussions within the party. In the absence of any formidable names, the choice fell on political pygmies, with no great profiles.

Veteran Congressman Shyam Kumar Shukla, who had lost the only assembly election he had contested some 25 years ago, has been named for the all-important Lucknow (West) seat.

Likewise, Anil Batta, a small time local municipal corporator was being fielded for the Jhansi city seat.

For the Lalitpur assembly seat, the party's choice has fallen on Ram Swarup Devalia, who had lost the 2002 assembly election from the same constituency.

The only high profile name in the Congress list was Raj Babbar, who was earlier declared the party nominee for Firozabad Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant following the resignation of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's son Akhilesh Yadav, who was elected from two constituencies.

Babbar is likely to face a fierce contest from Samajwadi Party, that has fielded Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple from there.

The official candidate for the lone parliamentary seat and eight assembly seats has already been announced.