Lucknow, Nov 10 (TIWN) The Samajwadi Party, in a surprise move, has named Dimple Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav's wife, as its candidate on the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.

The Mainpuri seat was held by Mulayam Singh Yadav who passed away last month, necessitating a by-election.

According to sources, the Yadav family wanted Tej Pratap Yadav to contest the Mainpuri seat since he had won it in a by-election in 2014. For the past two years, when Mulayam Singh was unwell, it was Tej Pratap who had been looking after the constituency.

Meanwhile, SP spokesman Anurag Bhadauria said that with Dimple Yadav as the candidate, the SP would win the Mainpuri seat with a record number of votes.