Kedarnath Bypoll
By Our Staff Reporter
Rudraprayag, 28 Oct: Congress candidate for Kedarnath Assembly bypoll, Manoj Rawat, was among the four candidates that filed nominations today. Rawat was declared the party candidate yesterday. Despite very apparent personal differences, senior Congress leaders today presented a united face at the time of filing nomination by being present on this occasion.
As Manoj Rawat filed his nomination for the Kedarnath by-election, today, PCC President Karan Mahra, State Co-in-charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand Surendra Sharma, former PCC Chief Ganesh Godiyal, Yashpal Arya, Harish Rawat, Harak Singh Rawat, former PCC Chief Pritam Singh, Mantri Prasad Naithani, MLAs Manoj Tiwari, Vikram Negi, Lakhpat Butola, Uttam Aswal, Lalit Farwan, Vinod Negi, District Congress President Kunwar Sajwan, Rita Pushpwan, Shashi Semwal were among those present.
Congress candidate Manoj Rawat, who arrived here from Dehradun this morning, was welcomed by party members with garlands. On this occasion, he said that this is the result of the hard work of the workers. He would make every possible effort to live up to the trust the party High Command had shown in him. He expressed his gratitude to the party High Command and the workers.
After filing of the nomination, the Congress leaders addressed a rally. The Congress candidate Manoj Rawat claimed that the BJP has committed the sin of diverting the Kedarnath Yatra and harassing local small traders in the name of the Yatra and by destroying their livelihood. He claimed that the public will teach them a lesson in this election. Rawat also claimed that Congress would secure a big win in Kedarnath as it had done in Badrinath some time ago.
It may be recalled that a former journalist with Tehelka media, Rawat had managed to secure the Congress ticket from Kedarnath for the first time in 2017 election owing to his closeness with the then Chief Minister, Harish Rawat. The BJP had in that election denied ticket to its two-time former MLA Asha Nauityal, giving the ticket to Shaila Rani Rawat, the outgoing MLA, who had left the Congress and joined the BJP. Rawat had won this seat, also because Asha Nautiyal contested as a rebel candidate and managed to secure around 23 percent votes, denting the chance of Shaila Rani to win. However, despite a strong opposition to his candidature, Manoj Rawat has been trusted by the party High Command.
Apart from Manoj Rawat and Asha Nautiyal, two other candidates also filed their nominations today. Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) candidate Dr Ashutosh Bhandari was the first to file his nomination. After filing his nomination, he said that he is committed to bringing necessary amendments in Uttarakhand’s Domicile Act 1950, the Land Act, declaring Gairsain as the permanent capital, and UCC draft by the government and will go to the public with these issues. Many activists, including UKD President Puran Singh Kathait, were present with him during the nomination.
Independent candidate Tribhuvan Singh Chauhan also filed his nomination papers today. He was dressed in traditional dhoti-kurta attire. He said that Kedar Valley is facing many tragedies and an employment crisis. He is contesting this election as a representative of the people, he asserted.
