Mainpuri (UP), Nov 14 (IANS): Dimple Yadav, the Samajwadi Party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypolls, filed her nomination papers on Monday.

Accompanied by SP president Akhilesh Yadav, SP MP Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and others, Dimple filed four sets of nomination papers.

Shivpal Singh Yadav was conspicuous by his absence on the occasion.

Alok Shakya, the district president of SP and also one of her proposers, also accompanied her to the collectorate.

Earlier, she performed puja at her Saifai residence and visited the 'samadhi' of late Mulayam Singh.

Dimple Yadav's candidature is seen as the SP's efforts to carry forward the legacy of her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav on the seat, considered a stronghold of the party since 1996. Her selection is also seen as an attempt to unite party cadres ahead of the bypoll.

The by-election for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat is to be held on December 5 and the result will be declared on December 8.

The Mainpuri parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10.