NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday fielded Nirmala Gahatodi against Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the bypolls to the Champawat Assembly seat.
Dhami, who had lost from Khatima during the Assembly elections, is required to be elected to the state Assembly to continue as the chief ministers.
The byelections will be held on May 31.
A statement issued by Congress General Secretary Mukul Wasnik on Friday said party president Sonia Gandhi approved Nirmala's candidature for the Champawat bypolls.
Nirmala belongs to the Brahmin community and had come into limelight during an anti-liquor movement nearly three decades ago.
She has been a member of the state Congress committee and the All-India Congress Committee.
She was also a minister of state in the previous state Congress government.