New Delhi, Oct 22: The Congress has fielded former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla in the Rajnandgaon assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh against Chief Minister Raman Singh.

In the second list released by the Congress for the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly election, the party declared its candidates for the remaining six constituencies. It earlier declared candidates for 12 seats.

The first phase of assembly election in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 12 and the last date for filing of nominations is October 23.

Shukla had quit the BJP a few years ago and joined the Congress.

While Girwar Janghel will contest from the Khairagarh seat, Bhuneshwar Singh Baghel will contest from Dongargarh-SC seat and Daleshwar Sahu from the Dongargaon assembly constituency.

The party has also fielded Channi Sahu from Khujji seat and Indra Shah Mandavi from Mohla-Manpur (ST) seat.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Yugadi, marking the Kannada New Year, was celebrated across Karnataka on Thursday with traditional fervour and gaiety, with people thronging temples and marketplaces to usher in the festival.

Markets across the capital city witnessed heavy rush since early morning, as people purchased flowers, raw mangoes, fruits and other festive essentials.

The iconic KR Market here has been witnessing large crowds for the past two days, with vendors reporting brisk business amid the festive surge.

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The rains for the past two days in Bengaluru could not diminish the festive mood of the city.

The KR Market was the bustling hotspot on Thursday morning.

“There is huge rush of people for the past two days and this morning it peaked,” Manjunath, a flower vendor at the market said, adding that demand for mango leaves and flowers remained high.

Homes were decked up with fresh ‘Toranas’ made of mango leaves, while courtyards were adorned with colourful rangoli designs as part of the celebrations.

Families prepared traditional delicacies and followed customary rituals associated with the festival.

Devotees visited temples in large numbers to offer special prayers and seek blessings for prosperity and well-being in the new year.

“We prayed for health, happiness and a good year ahead,” V Jyothi, who visited the centuries old Vasantha Vallabharaya Swamy Temple in Bengaluru South told PTI.

The festive spirit was visible across the state, with cultural and religious activities adding to the celebratory mood.