SP releases list of 3 candidates for Lok Sabha polls, Dimple Yadav to contest from Kannauj

The Samajwadi Party on Friday announced names of three women candidates for Lok Sabha polls, including party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav. The party fielded Dimple from Kannauj constituency, from where she has already been elected twice -- in 2012 by-polls and 2014 Lok Sabha, news agency ANI reported. Besides Dimple, the party fielded Purvi Verma from Khiri constituency and Usha Verma from Hardoi, according to a press statement issued by the party.

Earlier in the day, the Samajwadi Party released a list of six candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, fielding party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav from its stronghold Mainpuri. Dharmendra Yadav will contest from Badaun, Akshay Yadav from Firozabad, Kamlesh Katheria from Etawah, Bhailal Kol from Robertsganj and Shabbir Valmiki from Bahraich, the party announced. 

The list was signed by SP national chief general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav. The party left Mainpuri, described as its "safest" seat, for Mulayam Yadav, who is MP from Azamgarh right now.  He represented Mainpuri in the Lok Sabha in 1996, 2004 and 2009. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam Yadav contested from Azamgarh and Mainpuri and won both. In Mainpuri, his victory margin was a massive 3.64 lakh votes.