Dantewada bypoll: Congress, BJP candidates file nominations

Congress and BJP candidates on Wednesday filed their nomination papers from the Dantewada assembly seat where by-election will be held on September 23.

The bypoll in the Naxal-affected seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, has been necessitated following the death of BJP legislator Bhima Mandavi in a Naxal attack in April this year.

The ruling Congress has once again put its faith in Devti Karma, wife of Congress leader Mahendra Karma who was killed in the Jhiram valley Naxal attack in 2013.

Devti Karma had narrowly lost from the seat in last year's assembly elections.

The opposition BJP has fielded Ojaswi Mandavi, wife of Bhima Mandavi, hoping to cash in on sympathy vote.

Devti Karma and Ojaswi Mandavi filed their nomination papers at the Collectorate office here on Wednesday, the last day of filing nominations for the bypoll, an official here said.

Both candidates paid obeisance at Maa Danteshwari temple here ahead of filing their nominations.

Devti Karma ..