Congress fields Akash Sharma for Raipur South bypolls

The Congress on Tuesday fielded the young Akash Sharma as its candidate for the Chhattisgarh Assembly by-election from Raipur City South.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge made the announcement in New Delhi.

Sharma is the Chhattisgarh Youth Congress president. He was earlier President of National Students Union of India (NSUI) in Chhattisgarh.

The seat fell vacant after sitting BJP legislator and former Minister Brijmohan Agrawal resigned following his election to the Lok Sabha from the Raipur parliamentary constituency.

The ruling BJP has fielded its former MP Sunil Soni for the election.

The BJP has never lost Raipur City South, an urban constituency which came into existence in 2008. It is now held by BJP’s Brijmohan Agrawal.

Polling for the seat will be held on November 13 and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.

October 25 is the last day of filing of nominations for the bypoll.

There are 2,70,936 electors, including 1,33,713 males, 1,37,171 females and 52 transgenders in this constituency.