M A I N   N E W S

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
Cong declares UP, Uttaranchal lists
Tribune News Service

Following are the party candidates for Uttaranchal. Ms Shanti Junwantha (Purola), Mr Vijay Pal Singh Sajwan (Gangotry), Mr Kedar Singh Rawat (Yamunotry), Mr Phul Singh Bist (Pratap Nagar), Mr Subodh Uniyal (Narendra Nagar), Mr Kaul Das (Dhanolti), Mr Pritam Singh (Chakrata), Mr Nav Prabhat (Vikas Nagar), Mr Hira Singh Bisht (Rajpur), Dr Sunil Kumar Gulati (Rishikesh), Mr Baljeet Singh (Bhagwanpur), Mr Manohar Lal Sharma (Roorki), Mr Sarvat Karim Ansari (Mangalore), Mr S.P. Singh (Landaura), Mr Ajmal Nawaz Khan (Luxar), Mr Paras Kumar Jain (Haridwar), Ms Sarojini Kantura (Yamkeshwar), Mr Surender Singh Negi (Kotdwar), Dr Harak Singh Rawat (Lainsdown), Mr Prithvi Pal Singh Chauhan (Pauri), Mr Sunder Lal Mandrawal (Srinagar), Dr Shiva Nand Nautiyal (Thalisain), Mr Kanwar Singh Negi (Rudraprayag), Ms Shaila Rani Rawat (Kedar Nath), Dr Anusuya Prasad Makhuri (Badri Nath), Mr Sudershan Singh Kathait (Nand Prayag), Mr Surender Singh Negi (Karan Prayag), Mr Prem Lal Bharti (Pindar), Mr Chamu Singh Gasiyal (Kuffkot), Mr Ummed Singh Majila (Kanda), Mr Ram Prasad Tamta (Bageshwar), Mr Puran Chandra Kandpal (Dwarahat), Dr Pratap Singh Bist (Bhikiyasain), Mr Ranjeet Singh Rawat (Salt), Mr Pooran Singh Mahara (Ranikhet), Mr Pradeep Tamta (Someswar), Mr Manoj Tiwari (Almora), Mr Govind Singh Kunjwal (Jageswar), Mr Yash Pal Arya (Mukteshwar), Ms Indira Hridesh (Haldwani), Ms Jayta Bist (Nainital), Mr Yogambar Singh Rawat (Ramnagar), Mr K.C. Singh Baba (Kashipur), Mr S.C. Gudia (Pant Nagar), Mr Gopal Singh Rana (Khatima), Mahender Singh Mehra (Lohaghat), Mr Mayukh Mehra (Pithoragarh), Mr Narayan Ram (Gangolihat), Mr Ramesh Kapdi (Didihat), Mr Manoj Ozha (Kanali China), and Mr Pradhuman Singh (Dharchula).

BJP seat-sharing in final stages
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 19
Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party today released second list of candidates for Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal, the seat-sharing arrangement with its potential allies including the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is reportedly in final stages.

Pressure game between the BJP and allies particularly with the RLD is continuing despite several rounds of talks between Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh and the BJP leaders including party general secretary Pyarelal Khandelwal.

While RLD leader and Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh had to settle on at a figure as the BJP leadership remained polite but tough in negotiations, Janata Dal (U) leader Sharad Yadav played cool and accommodative and walked away with 12 Assembly seats, sources said.

Though the RLD adopted all means including applying pressure by announcing intention of contesting 43 seats and Mr Ajit Singh also approached Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to intervene but the BJP remained firm knowing full well that it was now impossible for the Agriculture Minister to go elsewhere for political support.

Mr Ajit Singh, according to sources, has agreed to reduce his demand to 36 seats in Western Uttar Pradesh.

In UP, where the BJP is planning to contest around 325 seats, with today’s announcement of eight candidates, the total number of contestants declared so far has reached a figure of 317.

The BJP announced its candidates for Bijnor, Kundarki, Hasanpur, Khekra, Morena and Bikhapur — the six seats the RLD had said it would like to contest.

In Uttaranchal too, the BJP has completed exercise for the 70-member state Assembly by releasing name of six more candidates including former Chief Minister Nityanand Swamy, who earlier according to party spokesman Sunil Shastri had expressed disinterest for contesting.

Negotiations with the Samata Party of Defence Minister George Fernandes have also progressed well and it is understood that the BJP has accommodated the “old friend and ally” with 12 seats.

The Shakti Dal of Minister of State for Programme Implementation and Animal Care Maneka Gandhi is almost finalised with Ms Gandhi, who had declared even names of her party’s candidates for over 14 Assembly constituencies in the Terai region of the biggest state, scaling down her demands and agreeing to contest about six seats.

Even the Lok Janshakti Party of Union Coal Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has, according to BJP sources, also has struck a deal with the BJP with the latter agreeing to concede six seats.

The BJP announced 309 candidates on Thursday this week and admitted that it was leaving between 70 seats to 75 seats for allies.

With minor adjustments here and there, the BJP is entering the electoral fray with confidence that its allies and friends are with it, a senior leader said.

The BJP also announced Mr Nirmal Singh, general secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir unit, as candidate for Jammu Lok Sabha byelection. The seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MP Vaid Vishnu Dutt.