Uttarakhand: Straight contest likely in Bageshwar assembly bypoll

Dehradun: Five candidates are in the fray in the bypoll to Uttarakhand's Bageshwar assembly seat on Tuesday, with the main contest likely between the BJP and the Congress.

The bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting BJP MLA and cabinet minister Chandan Ram Das in April this year. Das had been winning the seat for four consecutive polls since 2007.

The seat has witnessed straight contests between traditional rivals BJP and Congress in successive elections since the creation of the state in 2000. There are five candidates in the fray but the main contest in the constituency is likely to remain between the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress, poll observers feel.

The BJP has fielded the late MLA's wife Parvati Das from the seat hoping to capitalise on sympathy votes to retain the seat while the Congress has pitted Basant Kumar against her.

Kumar had contested the 2022 assembly polls from Bageshwar as an Aam Aadmi Party candidate. He quit the AAP to join the Congress just few days before being fielded by the latter from the seat.

Apart from the BJP and Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and the Uttarakhand Parivartan Party have also thrown their hat in the ring.

Both the BJP and Congress tried to woo the voters during the nearly fortnight long campaigning which ended on Sunday, holding road shows public meetings and door-to-door campaigns.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed a public meeting in Kafligair to garner support for the BJP nominee on the last day of campaigning on Sunday. Describing Chandan Ram Das as an MLA who worked tirelessly for the development of the Bageshwar constituency, the chief minister said voting for his wife would be a fitting tribute to the departed leader.

Dhami, who also held well-attended road shows in Garud and Bageshwar along with the party candidate and BJP MP from Almora Ajay Tamta, said he was confident the lotus will bloom once again in the land of Baba Bagnath referring to the famous Shiva temple in the district.

The BJP has sought to woo the electorate with the promise of all round development of the constituency under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I am confident that the people will once again link the bogey of Bageshwar with the double engine government," Dhami said addressing a rally.

Congress heavyweights like Harish Rawat, PCC president Karan Mahara and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Yashpal Arya also toured the entire constituency seeking votes for the party candidate to regain lost ground. Party leaders have asked people to teach the BJP a lesson for its "failure" to control rising inflation, and unemployment and ensure the safety of women.

There are 1,18,225 voters in Bageshwar assembly constituency spread over 188 polling stations. Besides Parvati Das and Basant Kumar, Bhagvati Prasad of the Samajwadi Party, Arjun Dev from Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and Bhagwat Kohli of Uttarakhand Parivartan Party are also contesting the bypoll.