Uttarakhand goes to polls tomorrow

The stage is all set for the Assembly elections in Uttarakhand tomorrow to elect 70 members to the Vidhan Sabha as tight security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polls. More than 63 lakh electorates are expected to exercise their franchise in the elections in which the ruling BJP is locked in a close fight with the Congress. Polling parties have reached their destinations in high-altitude and remote areas, state’s Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi said. With electioneering for the Assembly elections coming to an end last evening, most of the candidates today remained busy in door-to-door campaigning. [caption id=“attachment_196907” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Reuters”]  [/caption] A total of 788 candidates are trying their luck with BJP and Congress both contesting all the 70 seats. Both the parties had to feel the heat of rebels emerging in the parties after sitting MLAs from Congress and BJP were denied tickets this time. Congress expelled over 30 leaders and BJP over 20 for rebelling against party decisions. The star campaigners from both the parties crisscrossed the hill state during the electioneering to boost fortunes of their candidates. With the EC strongly enforcing the model code of conduct to check money power, the cacophony of the electioneering was missing this time. Stating that elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of polling, Raturi said the poll personnel deployed in high-altitude areas have been provided with sleeping bags, snow-boot and jackets. An Indian Air Force helicopter has also been stationed at Sarsawa for rescue purpose to meet any eventuality, she said. PTI