Rajinder Nagar bypoll: 32 candidates, including 7 independents, file papers

Thirty-two nominations in all have been received for the upcoming bypoll to the Rajinder Nagar Assembly seat in Delhi, poll authorities said on Monday.

June 6 was the last date to file nomination for the contest.

While AAP has fielded its MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak, BJP has nominated former councillor Rajesh Bhatia as its candidate for the June 23 bypoll, results for which will be declared on June 26.

Congress has fielded its former municipal councillor Prem Lata for this seat.

According to the information shared on the website of the Chief Electoral Office (CEO), Delhi, 32 nominations have been received in total.

Of these, 21 candidates have applied, some of whom have filed multiple nominations.

Seven independents have also filed nominations, as per the information shared on the website.

The bypoll to the Rajinder Nagar Assembly seat was scheduled in the wake of AAP leader Raghav Chadha leaving the seat after being elected to the Rajya Sabha recently.

Chadha was the MLA from the Rajinder Nagar Assembly seat.

The by-election to three Lok Sabha and seven assembly seats across six states will be held on June 23, the Election Commission had said on Wednesday.

Chadha, 33, had quit as Delhi MLA a couple of months ago and had taken oath as a member of the Upper House of Parliament earlier in May.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on May 28 had said that Pathak will contest the Rajinder Nagar assembly by-election, and had dared Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta to join the fray and defeat the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's candidate.