Murdered man’s spouse takes on accused’s wife in Khoda

GHAZIABAD: Two months after the murder of BJP worker

Gajendra Bhati

, the election to the post of Khoda municipal chairperson has been reduced to a fight between the slain worker’s spouse and the wife of ex-MLA

Amarpal Sharma

, an accused in the case.

On Monday, Bhati’s wife, Reena Devi (31), filed her nomination papers for the post of the chairperson on a BJP ticket. Sharma’s wife, Mohini (44), also submitted her candidature for the post as an Independent.

Amarpal Sharma, an accused in the conspiracy of Bhati’s murder, is at present in judicial custody in Dasna jail after surrendering in a local court in Ghaziabad. Gajendra Bhati was gunned down by bike-borne assailants in Khoda on September 2.

The post of Khoda chairperson is reserved for women. Khoda will go to polls for the first time with 34 wards after it was notified as a

Nagar Palika Parishad

earlier this year.

Mohini Sharma, a graduate, is also the incumbent pradhan of Khoda. Amarpal Sharma, who had joined the Congress after being thrown out from Bahujan Samaj Party in the run-up to UP assembly polls in 2017, is known to have a solid vote base in Khoda.

However, he suffered considerable reverses in the seat during the assembly polls. Amarpal Sharma had contested the Sahibabad assembly seat against Sunil Sharma of BJP.

Mohini Sharma went ahead and filed her nomination on Monday though the Congress is yet to finalize a candidate for the seat. “The entire Khoda township is like an extended family for me and Amarpal. We don’t need the backing of any political party to contest polls here,” said Mohini.

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