BJP, Congress gear up for straight fight in Kedarnath

Dehradun: Kedarnath is all set to go to polls on Wednesday with the BJP and Congress locked once again in a straight contest in the assembly constituency where the stakes are high for both the parties.

While the BJP faces the challenge of retaining the seat, the Congress is looking to ensure the BJP’s defeat in yet another Hindutva seat after Badrinath. Campaigning for the bypoll which drew to an end on Monday evening saw principal rivals BJP and Congress throwing all their might into wooing voters.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Lok Sabha MP from Pauri Garhwal Anil Baluni and state BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt visited the constituency several times over the past fortnight to gather support for BJP nominee Asha Nautiyal, who is also the state BJP Mahila Morcha president. Apart from holding election meetings in the constituency, Dhamiheld two bike rallies also to mobilise voters in favour of the party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s association with Kedarnath and his direct involvement in the reconstruction projects worth more than Rs 2,000 crore launched in Kedarpuri after he came to power at the Centre has been one of BJP’s major poll planks for the bypoll necessitated by the death of party MLA Shaila Rani Rawat’s death in July this year.

Wherever BJP leaders went for campaigning, they spoke of Modi’s deep attachment with Kedarnath and the priority accorded by him to the reconstruction projects underway at the Himalayan temple and the surrounding areas.