Mrs.Jogi may get ticket to contest Kota by-poll

Raipur, Nov 15 (UNI) Mrs.Renu Jogi, wife of CWC member and former chief minister Ajit Jogi, is likely to get Congress ticket to contest the by-election for Kota assembly seat in Chhattisgarh.

'' The decision about Mrs. Jogi's candidature is likely to be announced by late this evening '', Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) sources told UNI on telephone from New Delhi.

By-election for Kota assembly seat was necessitated following the death of veteran Congress leader Rajendra Prasad Shukla, who was the first speaker of Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha.

Dr.Jogi, who was a lecturer in Opathalmology at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in the state capital, had quit her government job nearly two and a half years ago to look after her husband, who had sustained serious injuries in a road accident during the last Lok Sabha elections.

CPCC sources said all other aspirants, who had staked claim for party ticket to contest the assembly by-election, bowed out of race, paving way for Mrs. Jogi to contest the election of Congress ticket.

Mr Sunil Shukla, son of late Rajendra Prasad Shukla, was prominent among those who had staked claim for party ticket to contest the by-election. However, a group of Congress legislators supported Mrs. Jogi's candidature, arguing that she would be able to retain the seat for the party.

Meanwhile, the ruling BJP is likely to field Mr Bhupendra Singh Thakur from Kota constituency. Mr Thakur had unsuccessfully contested the the last assembly poll from the same constituency.

The last date for filing of nominations for this by-election is November 17 and polling is scheduled for December four. UNI AS/JJ HS1300