BJP candidate for Lucknow mayor files nomination papers

Lucknow: Sushma Kharakwal, the BJP's mayoral candidate for Lucknow, on Monday filed her nomination papers for the urban local body elections in Uttar Pradesh.

She was accompanied by senior leaders, including former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, local MLAs, and a large number of party workers.

Speaking to reporters after filing her nomination, the BJP leader said, "It will be a one-sided victory as there is no challenge from any other party." Asked about her priorities if elected, Kharakwal said she also will complete the unfinished works of Sanyukta Bhatia, the incumbent mayor and her party colleague.

Kharakwal has been associated with the BJP for about 30 years and is currently a member of the party's working committee in Uttar Pradesh. She has also been president of the Mahila Morcha's Awadh Kshetra unit.

Having graduated from Garhwal University, Kharakwal has been a member of the Sainik Welfare Board and Rail Users' Consultative Committee, among others.

Polls to 17 municipal corporations, 199 nagar palika parishads and 544 nagar panchayats will be held in two phases on May 4 and 11. The votes will be counted on May 13.

The elections were announced on April 9, months after Allahabad High Court quashed the state government's draft notification providing OBC reservation.

The Supreme Court on March 27 allowed the State Election Commission to issue the poll notification with an OBC quota following a report of the Uttar Pradesh Backward Classes Commission.

Monday (April 17) is the last day to file nomination papers for the first phase of elections. The papers will be scrutinised on Tuesday (April 18) while candidates will be able to withdraw their nominations till Thursday (April 20).

The nomination process for the second phase also began on Monday and will continue till April 24. The scrutiny will be done on April 25 and the last date for withdrawals has been fixed at April 27.