Uttarakhand Assembly polls: How it's going to be a close electoral battle in six VIP seats, including Kedarnath

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid special attention to redevelopment projects at Kedarnath in district Ruderprayag. He so far visited Kedarnath five times, after becoming the prime minister in 2014. In poll-bound Uttarakhand, Kedarnath is among the six VIP seats - others being Gangotri, Srinagar, Haridwar, Khatima and Lankuwa. Kedarnath is considered VIP due to personal involvement of Modi in the redevelopment projects. Close fight between BJP and Congress exists in these seats. Polling for the 70-member Uttarakhand assembly will take place on 14 February. Kedarnath [caption id=“attachment_10348841” align=“alignnone” width=“817”] Sitting Kedarnath legislator Manoj Rawat of Congress is facing a challenging situation against three major competitors[/caption] The result of the Kedarnath Assembly seat in 2017 shocked the BJP. Party’s official candidate Shaila Rani Rawat finished fourth in a multi corner fight. Even this time four corner contests exist. Sitting Kedarnath legislator Manoj Rawat of Congress is facing a challenging situation against three major competitors - Shaila Rani Rawat (BJP), Kuldeep Rawat (independent) and Suman Tiwari (AAP). In the 2017 state Assembly election Manoj Rawat secured 13,906 votes against 13, 037 votes by Kuldeep Rawat (independent). In Kedarnath an interesting equation prevails this time. BJP is making an appeal to the public to vote for the party on the Kedarnath redevelopment projects executed by the central government. Shaila Rani Rawat was among the nine Congress MLAs, who had rebelled against the Harish Rawat government in 2016. Independent candidate Kuldeep Rawat, who is into real estate business in Dehradun, is making things difficult for the national parties. [caption id=“attachment_10348851” align=“alignnone” width=“736”] Shaila Rani Rawat was among the nine Congress MLAs, who had rebelled against the Harish Rawat government in 2016.[/caption] Aam Aadmi Party candidate Suman Tiwari belongs to the priest community. The AAP candidate can prove a blessing for BJP if he manages to get votes of the angry Panda and priests’ community. The Pandas and priests of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri had launched an agitation against the Uttarakhand government after the then Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat introduced the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act. The bill was approved by the state Assembly in 2019 and owing to the agitation of the priests the Pushkar Dhami government abolished it last year. After the 2013 disaster, major redevelopment activities started in Kedarnath in 2014. That was the time when Narendra Modi became the PM of India. The PM constantly reviewed and monitored the progress of the project in Kedarnath. Winning the Kedarnath Assembly seat is a major issue for the BJP. Lalkuwa [caption id=“attachment_10348861” align=“alignnone” width=“663”] This is the fourth time seventy-three year old Harish Rawat is contesting from a new seat in the assembly elections.[/caption] Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat has turned Lalkuwa Assembly seat in district Nainital hot. Seventy-three year old Harish was forced to leave Ramnagar, from where he was keen on contesting and from where his name was announced as party’s official candidate, after Ranjeet Rawat threatened to go against Congress decision. Ranjeet was prepared to fight the poll as an independent candidate from Ramnagar. The mood of Ranjeet Rawat forced Congress to correct its decision and change candidates. Harish Rawat was made candidate from Lalkuwa and Ranjeet Rawat was shifted to Salt. But, in the process, Sandhya Dalakoti was sidelined. She was earlier announced as Congress candidate from Lalkuwa. Annoyed with the decision, Sandhya is contesting as an independent candidate. In 2017, BJP’s Naveen Dhumka with 44,293 votes registered a big win against Harish Chand Durgapal (17,185 votes) of Congress. This time BJP has changed its candidate and shown trust on Mohan Singh Bisht. BJP faces a similar problem at Lalkuwa as party’s rebel Pawan Chauhan, despite best efforts, is contesting as an independent candidate. Rebels can spoil the game of BJP and Congress at Lalkuwa. [caption id=“attachment_10348871” align=“alignnone” width=“843”] This time BJP has changed its candidate and shown trust on Mohan Singh Bisht.[/caption] Close fight is expected at Lalkuwa. After losing back-to-back elections in 2017 state assembly polls and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Harish Rawat is hoping to return to the winning track for his political future. Gangotri Aam Aadmi Party’s Chief Ministerial candidate Colonel (Retd.) Ajay Kothiyal is facing a tri-angular fight at Gangotri assembly constituency. Congress candidate Vijaypal Singh Sajwan and BJP candidate Suresh Chauhan are in key contests. Ajay Kothiyal was involved in the reconstruction work at Kedarnath after the 2013 flash flood. Failing to get an entry in BJP, Kothiyal has joined AAP. The election at Gangotri seat is going to be close like a T-20 cricket match. It can go anyway. [caption id=“attachment_10348881” align=“alignnone” width=“639”] BJP has opted for Suresh Chauhan, a former block Parmukh from Bhatwari and an ex-district Panchayat member.[/caption] In the last Assembly election BJP’s Gopal Rawat defeated Vijaypal Singh Sajwan (Congress) by a margin of 9,610 votes. Due to the sudden demise of Gopal Rawat, BJP has opted for Suresh Chauhan, a former block Parmukh from Bhatwari and an ex-district Panchayat member. Haridwar Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik is making an attempt to win the Haridwar Assembly seat for the fifth time. He has not lost a single state election after the formation of Uttarakhand. Kausik is facing anti-incumbency due to his long term in the constituency. Madan Kausik is in a head-to-head fight against Satpal Brahmchari (Congress), a former Nagar Palika chairman. Srinagar BJP leader and cabinet minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, who was among one of the frontrunners to become CM after Trivendra Rawat was axed, faces an uphill task to retain the Srinagar assembly seat. Dhan Singh will contest against the state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal. Uttarakhand Kranti Dal’s Mohan Kala is working hard to make a triangular fight at Srinagar. Khatima Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will be taking on his old rival, Bhuwan Chandra Kapri of the Congress, at Khatima Assembly constituency. Last time Pushkar Dhami secured 29,539 votes against 26,830 votes by Kapri. The win was by 2,709 votes. In a dramatic turnaround Dhami was crowned Uttarakhand CM in July last year. Serving a small term, Chief Minister Dhami is under pressure to take BJP to a big win in the Uttarakhand assembly election. It is not easy for any Chief Minister to win own seat in the state Assembly election in the hill state. The strange trend! Harish Rawat lost from Haridwar (Rural) and Kichcha seats in 2017, BC Khanduri had to face defeat from Kotdwar in 2012 and Uttarakhand’s first CM Nityanand Swami was defeated from Laxman Chowk seat in 2002. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.