Dehradun: Bhagwanpur MLA Surendra Rakesh's widow Mamata Rakesh on Tuesday filed her nominations for the April 11 bypoll to the seat?as a Congress candidate.
Mamata filed her papers on the last day of nominations today, Uttarakhand's Bhagwanpur SDM Pratyush Singh said.
The total number candidates who filed the nominations is eight, he said, adding that scrutiny will take place tomorrow and March 27 is the last day for withdrawal of nominations.
Polling is scheduled to be held on April 11 from 8 AM to 5 PM, Singh said.
The bypoll to the seat was necessitated after the death of Surendra Rakesh last month who had won the seat in 2012 Assembly elections in Uttarakhand on a BSP ticket. Rakesh was a cabinet minister in the Harish Rawat government.
Apart from the deceased MLA's wife, prominent among those who have filed their nominations from the seat are?BJP's Rajpal Singh and Master Satpal who has entered the ring as an independent.
Satpal had unsuccessfully tried his luck in 2012 Assembly elections as a Congress nominee from the seat having finished second behind Surendra Rakesh.
The Congress hopes to win the seat riding a sympathy wave.
Winning the seat will raise?the party's personal tally in Uttarakhand Assembly to 36, the majority mark in the 70-member House.
It has 35 MLAs of its own in Uttarakhand Assembly at present and enjoys the support of seven member of PDF of which Surendra Rakesh was a part.
Opposition BJP has 28 MLAs in the Assembly.
