Cong declares candidate for MP Assembly by-poll

Bhopal, May 14 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh Congress today declared businessman Virendra Raghuvanshi as its official candidate for the assembly by-election from Shivpuri constituency.

The Shivpuri seat is considered prestigious for the Scindia family.

State Congress General Secretary Manak Agrawal told UNI here that Mr Singh was declared as official Congress candidate this evening after the party central leadership gave its nod.

It was being said that Congress MP and Scindia Scion Jyotiraditya Scindia played an important role in getting ticket for Mr Raghuvanshi.

Ruling BJP and other main political parties had not declared their official candidates.

It was being speculated that the BJP was considering to field Mr Ganesh Gautam, who was being earlier regarded as potential Congress candidate.

Earlier, the BJP had sprung a surprise when it fielded Mr Kuparchand Ghuwara, who was formerly with the CPI, as its candidate from Malehra assembly constituency, sending poll equations of the Uma Bharti-led BJS into disarray.

The Shivpuri byelection was caused due to the resignation of BJP leader Yashodhara Raje Scindia on her election to the Lok Sabha from Gwalior.

In the Lok Sabha by-election, for the first time, one member of Scindia family had opened front against another family member.

Ms Yashodhara Raje Scindia and Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia share a relationship of aunt and nephew. Both would leave no stone unturned for the victory of their party at the hustings.

UNI