Dimple Yadav to contest Lok Sabha by-poll in Kannauj

Dimple Yadav, wife of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, will contest the Kannauj Lok Sabha by-election as a Samajwadi Party candidate.

"As per the wish of the party workers, the central parliamentary board of the party has decided that Dimple Yadav will contest the by-election for Kannauj seat," SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters.

Akhilesh Yadav had contested from the Firozabad and Kannauj seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and won from both places. He subsequently gave up the Firozabad seat to retain Kannauj.

Dimple had contested the Firozabad by-election in 2009, but lost to Congress candidate Raj Babbar.

Akhilesh, the SP state president, resigned from the Kannauj seat after being nominated as a member of the UP legislative council by the party after becoming the state chief minister. The Kannauj by-poll is scheduled for June 24.

Ram Gopal said the board also decided that the party workers would be free to contest local body polls, but they would not be authorised to use the party symbol.

He said that a large section of the workers were of the view that they should be allowed to contest local body polls like panchayat elections.

"Conceding to the demands of the workers, the board decided that the workers would be free to contest elections, but no one will be authorised to do so on the party symbol," Ram Gopal said.

The SP leader said it was also decided that the two-day national executive meeting of the party would be held in Kolkata from July10.

On the presidential elections, he said no decision has been taken as of now.