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Politicians, who have passed away or those who cannot contest due to other reasons, have been replaced by their better halves, who are vying with each other for a seat in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
In Bhadohi, when former education minister in BSP regime Rakesh Dhar Tripathi could not contest as he is facing a disproportionate assets case, his wife Pramila Dhar Tripathi has taken the plunge in electoral politics from the seat.
She is contesting on a Apna Dal ticket and seeking to enter the portals of the Legislative Assembly counting on the development works done by her husband for the constituency.
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The case of BJP women wing state president Swati Singh is no different.
She shot into prominence after her husband Daya Shankar Singh, then BJP state vice president, had allegedly made certain derogatory remarks against BSP supremo Mayawati and was later sacked from the party.
Singh brought his wife to the forefront. Swati actively took part in TV debates where she not only defended her husband, but attacked Mayawati and even challenged the BSP chief to cross swords with her.
She is contesting from Lucknow’s Sarojini Nagar seat and Daya Shankar is managing the campaign from behind the scenes.
Former MLA Dilip Verma had launched his wife Madhuri Verma in politics when he was in jail in Bahraich. She won on a Congress ticket and this time is contesting on a BJP ticket from Nanpara seat (Bahraich).
In Bahraich, Ruaba Sayeed, wife of sitting MLA Waqar Ahmad Shah’s is contesting on a SP ticket. Waqar was minister in the Akhilesh government but due to health reasons, his son Yasir Shah, also an MLA, was included in the ministry in his place.
This time on Waqar’s seat, Ruaba is in the fray.