Contest Gets Interesting In Etawah As BJP MP's Wife Files Nomination As Independent, BSP Candidate Is Former RLD MP

Etawah in Uttar Pradesh is going to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on 13 May and the contest here got interesting after the BJP MP's wife filed the nomination against her husband.

The BJP has fielded incumbent MP Ram Shankar Katheria from Etawah, while his wife Mridula Katheria has also filed nomination papers as an Independent.

Notably, she did the same in the 2019 elections as well but withdrew her nomination papers later. However, this time Mridula pledged to not withdraw the nomination.

“Nomination papers are filed not to be withdrawn. I will contest the election… This is my birthright,” Mridula was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

In response, Ram Shankar said, "She (Mridula) files nomination papers every time and withdraws. This is her decision to contest the election."

The last day for nomination filing is today (25 April) and the nominations can be withdrawn till 29 April. The results will be declared on 4 June.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded the former Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) MP from Hathras, Sarika Singh Baghel from here as Etawah is her birthplace.

Jitendra Kumar Dohare is the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from Etawah. He had earlier contested the 2022 UP elections from Auraiya, an Assembly segment under the Etawah Lok Sabha seat.

However, Dohare lost to the BJP by a margin of over 12,000 votes. Despite that, SP gave him a chance by replacing its 2019 candidate Kamlesh Kumar who lost to Ram Shankar by over 64,000 votes.