The Congress candidate for the Champawat Assembly by- election, Nirmala Gehtodi filed her nomination papers on Wednesday. She was accompanied by the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly Yashpal Arya and other leaders. Notably the former chief minister Harish Rawat and former leader of opposition Pritam Singh were absent on the occasion.

Exuding confidence about her victory, Gehtodi told media persons after filing her papers that the Congress workers were enthusiastic. On the question that she has a very formidable opponent in Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Gehtodi said that the Congress party would contest the election with simplicity and with support of people. She recalled that Dhami was CM when he lost the assembly election from Khatima.

The Congress leaders addressed a gathering after filing of nomination by Gehtodi.

Mahara claimed that the Champawat by poll would throw an unexpected result and the Congress candidate would emerge victorious with a record number of votes.

Apart from Mahara and Arya, deputy leader of CLP Bhuwan Kapri, former MLA Hemesh Kharkwal, president of Mahila Congress Jyoti Rautela, Rajya Sabha MP Pradip Tamta, MLA Manoj Tiwari and other leaders were present on the occasion. 

For Champawat by -poll, the PCC president Mahara has constituted an election management committee for the Champawat by poll. Former MLA Hemesh Kharkwal has been made the convenor of the committee while Almora MLA Manoj Tiwari is the president of the committee.Wednesday was the last date for filing of nomination papers while the voting would be held on May 31. The counting of votes would be on June 3 and the result would be declared on the same day.