BJP picks Sobha for Dholpur bypoll

MINISTER KALICHARAN SARAF ANNOUNCED SHOBHA RANI’S CANDIDATURE AFTER MEETING WORKERS IN DHOLPUR WITH MINISTER RAJENDRA RATHORE

The BJP declared Shobha Rani Kushwaha on Tuesday as its candidate for the Dholpur assembly by-election to be held on April 9.

Shobha Rani, the wife of Bahujan Samaj Party’s suspended legislator Banwari Lal Kushwaha, joined the BJP on February 15. Banwari Lal, elected as a BSP MLA from Dholpur in 2013, was suspended from the assembly after a court sentenced him to life imprisonment on December 8 last year for the murder of Naresh Kushwaha on December 27, 2012.

State health minister Kalicharan Saraf announced Shobha Rani’s candidature after meeting party workers in Dholpur with panchayati raj and rural development minister Rajendra Rathore and BJP state general secretary Bhajanlal Sharma.

She will file her nomination papers on Wednesday.

“The by-poll result will not affect the state government, but your area will be developed if a BJP candidate from your constituency wins,” Saraf said while addressing the party workers.

The Congress and the BSP have not declared their candidates for the by-poll.

The Dholpur constituency’s 1.72 lakh voters include 38,000 Kushwahas, 26,000 Jatavs,16,000 Muslims, 26,000 Brahmins, 8,000 Baghels, 12,000 Lodhi Rajputs, 8,000 Tyagis, 8,000 Gujjars, and 2,000 Jats.