LS Polls: Congress fields journalist Supriya Shrinate from Maharajganj

Journalist Supriya Shrinate will be contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections from Maharajganj parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress announced on Friday.

The party had earlier announced the candidature of jailed politician Amarmani Tripathi's daughter Tanushree Tripathi on the seat in its 13th list of Lok Sabha candidates released on Thursday. However, Tanushree was earlier chosen by the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L) from the same seat, thus paving way for Congress to choose Supriya.

"I will be taking an active plunge in politics, am grateful to @INCIndia @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi @JM_Scindia for trusting me with Maharajganj. It will be an honour to keep my late father's legacy alive. I look forward to making a meaningful contribution," the journalist tweeted earlier today.

Shortly before she announced her entry into politics, Supriya announced that she would be stepping down from her post at an English news channel.

Along with Shrinate, the list has the names of other 11 candidates for the 2019 general polls in three states - four from Bihar and seven from Odisha.

Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar will contest from Sararam parliamentary constituency, while former journalist Satya Prakash Nayak, who joined the party in 2018, will contest against BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra from Odisha's Puri Lok Sabha seat.

The party has also made public the list of 20 candidates for the Odisha Assembly elections.

Elections will be held in seven phases in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar starting April 11. Odisha will witness simultaneous polls for its 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats. The state will vote in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.