Sonia to file nomination from Rae Bareli on April 17

Lucknow, Apr 12 (UNI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi would file her nomination papers for the bypoll to the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency on April 17, from where she is seeking a re-election after resigning from the seat last month following the office of profit controversy.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh said here that Ms Gandhi would reach Rae Bareli via the Uttar Pardesh capital on April 17 and file the nomination the same day.

The notification for the crucial seat will be issued tomorrow, which will mark the opening of nominations.

Nominations will close on April 20, while scrutiny will take place on April 21. The last date for withdrawal of nomination is April 24 while the polling will be held on May 8.

While political observers see the by-election as a cake walk for Ms Gandhi, all the Opposition parties -- except for the BSP -- are fielding candidates against her.

Expelled BJP leader Uma Bharti's candidate Prabha Singh Lodh is likely to file her nomination tomorrow on an Apna Dal ticket.

''Since Ms Bharti's new party would be formed only on April 30, we have reached an understanding with Apna Dal to field Ms Lodh against the AICC president,'' Ravindra Shukla who has recently quit the BJP, to join Ms Bharti said here.

The ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) has already announced it would field a candidate against the UPA chairperson. '' We would file a strong candidate who would win the election,'' senior SP leader and state PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said here.

The BJP, though yet undecided, would also field a candidate against Ms Gandhi.

BSP national president and former UP chief Minister Mayawati has decided against fielding anyone against Ms Gandhi. ''The presence of Ms Gandhi in Lok Sabha would weaken the BJP...her re-election woud maintain balance of power between BJP and Congress which would ultimaterly help the BSP,'' she claimed.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) is likely to increase the number of voting booths in the Rae Bareli constituency by 1500. THe new booths would be besides the 1279 booths already present.

The new booths would ensure that there are not more than 1400 voters per booth.

Ms Gandhi had quit the Rae Bareli seat on March 23, a day after the Budget session of Parliament had adjourned sine die, stating that she had been ''immensely hurt'' by the opposition charge that the government was making all efforts to issue an ordinance on the office of profit issue only to ''save her.'' UNI NAB DKS VC2148