The Congress on Tuesday sprang a surprise by announcing that UP party chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi will be its candidate for Lucknow. Joshi, whose name never figured among the probables, was personally chosen by party president Sonia Gandhi, it is learnt.

Joshi is the daughter of late Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, a former UP chief minister who was elected from Lucknow in 1977 as the Bharatiya Lok Dal nominee, defeating Congress candidate Sheila Kaul. Joshi is a professor in history at Allahabad University and has authored two books. She was also mayor of Allahabad from 1995 to 2000.

“I am honoured that the party has chosen me for this prestigious seat from where my father once contested. I wanted to contest from Phoolpur, but the party took a decision that no state president would contest. I am grateful that they considered me the most eligible candidate for Lucknow,” she said.

She will be contesting against Lalji Tandon of the BJP, Akhilesh Das of the BSP and Nafisa Ali of the Samajwadi Party.

Asked what she thought was her strength against other candidates, Joshi said, “I’m a middle class woman. In a city of employees like Lucknow, I would reach out as a secular face who stands for middle-class aspirations.”

“I’m the aam aadmi face of the Congress in Lucknow, different from others who either represent money or communalism,” she said.

Soon after announcement of Joshi’s candidature, there were celebrations at the state Congress headquarters. Sweets were distributed and crackers burst. Party sources said Joshi’s name was decided after a long discussion in Delhi on Monday night.

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