BJP fields deceased MLA's wife for Pithoragarh bypoll

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday announced Chandra Pant as the party's candidate for the Pithoragarh assembly by-poll in Uttarakhand later this month.

A teacher by profession, Chandra Pant is the wife of former state finance and parliamentary affairs minister Prakash Pant, whose death in June necessitated the by-election to the seat located in the Kumaon region of the state.

Chandra Pant's candidature for the seat was announced by working president J P Nadda, state BJP media in-charge Devendra Bhasin said.

The candidature from the seat makes it clear that the BJP is primarily eying sympathy votes in Pithoragarh. It is banking largely on the popularity of Pant, who represented the seat thrice in assembly and died battling cancer during his tenure.

Bypoll to the Pithoragarh seat is scheduled to be held on November 25 and the counting will be held on November 28.