Mainpuri by-poll: Direct clash between SP, BJP

AGRA: As the date of withdrawal of names ends on Monday, the stage will be set for the by-poll in Mainpuri scheduled on December 5. On Sunday, Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav stressed on enhancing polling percentage with women coming forward to vote on polling day.

A total of six candidates were left in the fray after nomination papers of seven candidates were cancelled during the scrutiny conducted on Friday. In all, 13 nominations were filed when nominations ended late on Thursday evening.

The candidates in the fray after scrutiny are Dimple Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Raghuraj Singh Shakya (BJP), Pramod Kumar Yadav (Bharatiya Krishak Dal), Bhupendra Kumar Dhangar ( Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party) and Suresh Chandra and Sushma, both independents.

The voting will be held on December 5 and counting of the votes will be done on December 8. The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after the demise of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10 this year. Meanwhile, campaign has already begun and it is quite clear that the contest is primarily between the BJP and SP candidates. SP president Akhilesh Yadav is camping in Mainpuri and addressing booth level party workers meet in different assembly segments of Mainpuri parliamentary seat.