Congress party has fielded former Dantewada MLA Devati Karma, wife of late veteran Congress leader Mahendra Karma, as Congress candidate for Dantewada by-election.

 

 

Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee’s Communication Department Chairman Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said that All India Congress Committee (AICC) has approved the name of Devati Karma as Congress candidate for Dantewada by-election.

 

 

The by-election was necessitated after BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi was killed in an IED explosion on April 9. Bhima Mandavi had defeated Congress candidate Devati Karma by a margin of 2,172 votes in the assembly election-2018. Bhima Mandavi polled 37,990 votes while Devati Karma polled 35,818 votes in the election. Earlier, in the meeting of the CPCC’s Election Committee there was consensus on the name of Devati Karma. After declaration of Devati Karma as the Congress candidate for Dantewada by-election, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the AICC has put its trust on Devati Karma and hoped that the people of Dantewada Assembly constituency would give their blessings to Devati Karma in the by-election.

 

 

“There is a challenge before the Congress in Dantewada by-election. But we will extend full support to the Congress candidate and fight the by-election with unity and full strength,” stated the Chief Minister. The nomination process began at Dantewada Collectorate on Wednesday. The nomination papers can be filled till September 4. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on September 5. The candidates can withdraw their nomination by September 7. Polling will be held on September 23. Counting will take place on September 27, the Returning Officer stated. There are around 188624 voters including 98,876 female and 89,748 male in Dantewada Assembly constituency. There are 273 polling booths in the constituency including 28 hyper-sensitive booths.