 "bypolls, voting, EVM")
Altogether 18 candidates filed their nominations till Friday, the last date of filing nomination papers for by-elections to Mokama and Gopalganj assembly segments in Bihar, an official said.
While 11 candidates filed their nomination papers in Gopalganj, seven did the same in Mokama, Deputy Election Officer, Bihar, Ashok Priyadarshi told PTI-Bhasha.
By-elections to the two seats have been necessitated by the death of sitting BJP MLA from Gopalganj Subhash Singh and disqualification of RJD's Anant Singh who represented Mokama.
In Gopalganj, the deceased MLA's wife Kusum Devi's bid to retain the seat for the party is being challenged by Mohan Prakash Gupta of the RJD though the pitch has been queered by the entry of BSP candidate Indira Yadav.
Yadav is married to Sadhu Yadav, an estranged brother-in-law of RJD president Lalu Prasad. Sadhu Yadav had won the seat in 2000.
The seat falls in the district of the same name to which both Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, Sadhu Yadav's elder sister, belong.
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In Mokama, Anant Singh's wife Neelam Devi seems confident of retaining the seat for the RJD. Her bid will be challenged, primarily, by Sonam Devi of the BJP which is fielding its own candidate from the seat after 27 years.
Sonam Devi is a greenhorn, married to another local muscleman Lalan Singh who is known to be opposed to Anant Singh. Both belong to the Bhumihar caste which holds sway over the assembly segment.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on Saturday and the last date of withdrawal is October 17. Casting of votes will take place on November 3.
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