Dimple elected unopposed from Kannauj

“As Dimple Yadav was the only candidate for the seat,she has been elected unopposed in the bypoll,” Kannauj District Election Officer Selva Kumari J said told The Sunday Express over the phone.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav congratulated the people of Kannauj and Dimple Yadav for her historic win. He also expressed thanks to opposition parties which did not field candidate against his daughter-in-law.

Dimple Yadav,35,would be the second woman to represent the constituency. Earlier in 1984,Sheila Dikshit,who is now the Delhi Chief Minister,was elected from Kannauj.

After the Congress and the BSP decided against fielding their nominees and the BJP candidate failed to file his nomination papers at the last minute,Dimple Yadav was expected to get a walkover on the seat vacated by her husband Akhilesh Yadav when he became the chief minister and was elected to the Legislative Council.

She filed her nomination papers on Tuesday.

She had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Congress’s Raj Babbar in the bypoll for the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat in 2009.

The Congress had opted not to contest the election in Kannauj,saying it did not field its candidate even in 2009 elections and the BSP had decided to keep away from the bypoll alleging the ruling party of continuing with its tradition of nepotism by fielding Dimple Yadav.