The BJP announced the name of Yogeshwar Dutt for the seat on Thursday evening. (FILE)
Chandigarh:
The ruling BJP on Thursday appointed party leader and Olympic medalist Yogeshwar Dutt as a candidate for the bypass of the Baroda assembly constituency.
According to a party statement, the wrestler-turned-politician will challenge the November 3 bypoll from Baroda’s headquarters in Sonipat.
The last date to apply for the bypass is Friday.
The bye election was made necessary by the disappearance of Congressman Shri Krishan Hooda in April. In the 2019 assembly polls, Dutt lost to Hooda from the siege.
Until about midnight, Congress had not yet announced its candidate for the seat.
Earlier in the morning, sports figures including BJP leader Babita Phogat Sakshi Malik, Geeta Phogat and Mr Dutt met with Chief Minister ML Khattar in Delhi.
Athletes fought for the candidacy of Mr. Dutt for the seat of Baroda, which the Saffron party never won.
Khattar said earlier that the party’s state unit discussed 25 names, but shortlisted four and sent them to the party’s high command.
The party announced Mr Dutt’s name for the seat on Thursday evening.
The wrestler-turned-politician, originally from the village of Bhainswal Kalan in the district of Sonipat, joined the BJP in 2019 ahead of state assembly polls.
Mr. Dutt, who won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics, also won a gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and received the Padma Shri in 2013.
Ahead of next month’s bypolls, Dutt campaigned actively in the constituency.
Leaders of the BJP, which is challenging the bypoll with the support of its ally Jannayak Janta Party, have expressed confidence that they will wrest the seat from Congress.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
