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Demography, caste factors hold key
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Forest Conservation Act biggest impediment to development
Tight security for Sonia’s rally at Roorkee today
Politics of tears and emotional atyachaar
Political slugfest at Uttarayani fair
All set to ensure poll staff cast their votes
Cong against strong Lokpal: Khanduri
Four candidates withdraw names
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Tough fight for Pant as Cong rebel blinks
Pithoragarh, January 16 Five others, including BSP candidate Col Ram Dutt Joshi (retd), are also in the fray from this constituency. The Congress candidate is banking on the anti-incumbency factor in the constituency against the minister, who is being blamed by the locals fornot fulfilling promises he made to the people in last elections. According to the recent voters’ list released by the district election office, the Pithoragarh constituency has a total of 82,888 voters, out of which the number of male voters is 40,718 and female voters are 42,170, which are divided in 119 booths. In the last Assembly elections in 2007, Prakash Pant had polled 50.86 per cent votes or 52,801 votes out of a total of that time voters of 84,277. A total of 52,801 voters had cast their franchise, which was 62.65 per cent of the total number of voters. Parkash Pant polled 26,855 votes against his nearest rival Congress candidate Ravindra Singh Bisht, who could get only 20,865 votes. “But this time, the fight is tough as the Congress candidate persuaded Ravindra Singh Bisht to withdraw his papers from fighting as an Independent,” said Lachchi Lal Verma, a retired professor of political science from local PG college. Prakash Pant claimed that he has almost fulfilled all assurances, he had made to the people in the last elections. “We have opened 13 new high schools and four intermediate colleges in our constituency and got sanctioned 17 big projects for the constituency, including the opening of a Base hospital for the district, a trauma centre, diagnostic centre, a long-term drinking water project for the growing town and an engineering college, which has already begun in the district,” said Pant. The minister also claimed to have constructed 264-km-long roads in the villages of the constituency. “My target in the next term will be to fulfill these pending projects and establish a medical college in the district and create a SIDCUL in the district so that job opportunities for the youth could be generated in the district,” said Pant. But the Congress candidate refutes the claims. He alleged that Pant has only made the promises but fulfilled none of them. “ The tall claims of the minister of attracting tourists in the district by creating two artificial lakes and starting commercial flights are false,” said Mayukh Mahar. He says that Pant will not only give priority to the drinking water problem of the town, but will also start the closed Magnesite factory, which the minister could start despite repeated promises. “We have also plan for the development of the tourism potential in the town by creating a ring road around the city as the proposed ring road will take the tourists near the Peaks of Panchchuli Himalaya, which gives a magnificent view of the Himalayas from the spot viewable from the ring road points,” said Mahar The town of Pithoragarh, the main chunk of the constituency, has been facing a variety of problems, especially lack of infrastructure in the town. The roads maintained by either the PWD or by the Municipal board are in bad shape. “How the minister, who could not repair the main road, can change the lots of the town? asks a voter living on the Bank road, a gateway to the minister’s residence. People allege that being a legislator for the past 10 years in the state Assembly and five years as a minister, he has only added his own property and constructed houses in Dehradun. While the BSP candidate, Ram Dutt Joshi, is hoping on the 17 per cent Dalit votes, Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha candidate KN Kapri pinned hopes on the ex- Army persons and his local relatives. |
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Demography, caste factors hold key
Haridwar, January 16 The Haridwar (rural) seat has mainly been carved out of the Haridwar city, Jwalapur and Lakshar Assembly segments. It is surrounded by the Haridwar city, Lakshar, Jwalapur and BHEL-Ranipur seats and comprises the whole rural belt of Bishanpur Kundi, Panjan Hedi, Bhogpur, Bahadur Jat, Pherupur, Dhanpura, Badshahpur, Sherpur, Pherupur, Phoolgadh, Durgagadh, Shibragadh, Tanda, Mazada and Ramkhera of Haridwar
tehsil. Keeping this aspect in mind, the Congress has fielded Irshad Ali, who had joined the party in 2000 and had since then held several positions in the party. He is the block president from the Haridwar (rural) seat and owes it to local MP Harish Rawat for bringing him to mainstream politics. As about 28,000 Muslims belong to the Jojha sect, they may not vote for Irshad, who is an Ansari Muslim. This slightly goes in favour of BSP candidate Shesh Raj Saini, a veteran party leader from the district. As the BSP had declared Saini as its candidate quite early, he had the advantage of starting campaign in time. The BJP has fielded Swami Yatishwaranand, vice-chairperson of the Gau Raksha Ayog, from the seat. Swami Yatishwaranand has a good hold on the party unit and is not associated with any faction. He, despite being a saint, has been into politics since his college days in Gurukul Kangri University, where he twice remained president of the students’ union. Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Progressive) (UKD-P) candidate Rana Ranbeer Singh is giving a good fight to the three prominent candidates of the main parties. Rana has been associated with the Uttarakhand statehood agitation since 80s and being a former employee of BHEL has a substantial vote bank in this rural segment. He is also known to be the face of the UKD in Haridwar along with Diwakar Bhatt, and this is benefiting him as villagers know him. Besides, 4 per cent voters from the hill region (Garhwalis) in this segment makes him a strong candidate. While the issues as related to any other rural segment are also present here, the burning issue is of quarrying in the Ganga-bed, which was banned by the district administration a month ago. As more than 10,000 families have been affected by the ban on quarrying, it has become an important issue for the voters. The four candidates, Rana Ranbeer Singh, Swami Yatishwaranand, Irshad Ali and Shesh Raj Saini, are in favour of allowing quarrying in the region though with legal permission and strict adherence to environment rules so that the Ganga is not affected by the activity. As floods play havoc in the region, the construction of permanent embankments along the Ganga, the construction of a bridge on the Rawasan river, declaring the Chandighat region a revenue village, proper rehabilitation of Tehri natives displaced due to the construction of Tehri Dam in the Pathri region and a provision of basic facilities to Van Gujjars residing in the nearby forest terrain are some of the other issues. |
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Forest Conservation Act biggest impediment to development
Dehradun, January 16 The Forest Conservation Act has drawn a deep wedge in the generations-old forest-human relationship in the state. Hill folks no more feel free in collecting fuel wood and fodder as per their necessity after the implementation of the Act. Their right over the forest produce no more exists. The Act has also been the biggest impediment to the development works. Many proposed plans for the construction of roads in the hills cannot see the light of day due to the delay in the forest clearances from the Union Forest Ministry. Even an inch of forestland cannot be used for any non-forestry purposes till it gets a clearance from the ministry. The issue of re-carpeting of Kandi Marg that criss-crosses the Jim Corbett National Park is in a lurch for long as it involves a protected area. This road is a lifeline for a large number of villages and links the Garhwal and Kumaon regions within the state’s geographical limits. It was only a few months ago that residents of the Dhanaulti region staged protest at the state forest headquarters in Dehradun, asking the state to immediately take up the road construction work with the Union Environment and Forest Ministry. The Uttarakhand BJP blames the Centre for the delay. “While the Centre has been harassing the state in the name of conservation, the state is seldom compensated for protecting the Himalayan forests,” argues Trivendra Singh Rawat, a Cabinet Minister in the Khanduri government. However, Uttarakhand Congress spokesperson Surendra Kumar asserts that it was wrong to put blame on the Centre for the delay in the implementation of the development schemes citing the Forest Conservation Act as a hurdle. He said there was no coordination between the State Revenue Department and the Forest Department and that was the main reason of the delay in the Union Environment and Forest Ministry’s approval of the forest clearances for the development works. On the other hand, the BJP had, from the beginning, laid much emphasis on strengthening of the van panchayats, which are around 12,000 in numbers. The BJP knew that a large population in the hill areas of the state was linked to these van panchayats for earning their livelihood. A big convention of van panchayats under the aegis of the state Forest Department was held at the Rangers College ground three months ago with an overt aim to work out the electoral success for the BJP in the elections through these panchayats. Significantly, former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had taken keen interest in joining issues with forestry to explore electoral gains for the party. Significantly, the state Congress manifesto for the Assembly elections released on Friday has promised doubling the number of van panchayats in the state, hinting the importance of these van panchayats. The restoration of the traditional rights has also been promised by the Congress. More importantly, the manifesto also promises at bringing the state’s 25 per cent of land, which includes land not in the revenue records and also the reserve-forest land, outside the purview of the state Forest Department. There is no doubt that forestry in the state will determine the course of the state’s future in the days to come. After defence, forest services have certainly been very close to Uttarakhandis as the nomenclature “Ranger Sahab” is still used as a word of honour among village folks. |
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Tight security for Sonia’s rally at Roorkee today
Roorkee, January 16 This will be the first visit to this educational hub of Uttarakhand by Sonia Gandhi, who addresses her first rally in Uttarakhand after her last-moment withdrawal at previous two rallies, first in Gauchar and the second in Haldwani, owing to health and weather problems. While already Congress activists are upbeat due to the successful rally by Rahul Gandhi in the parade ground, Dehradun, now with United Progressive Alliance chairperson addressing twin rallies in Roorkee and New Tehri Garhwal, they feel the rallies will give a boost to their victory chances. In view of the mega rally at Lido Press Ground in Roorkee, elaborate arrangements are being done. As it is compulsory for any party to take prior permission from the district unit of the Election Commission for any meeting or rally, the Congress district unit has sought permission for the rally which has been granted. Chaudhary Rajendra Singh, Haridwar district Congress chief, said that from Roorkee election officer JP Tiwari permission, a letter has been received for convening the rally. Meanwhile, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat is camping in Haridwar to ensure a record turnout of the crowd and also to oversee that no loophole remains in the preparations. All the 11 Assembly segment leaders have been briefed by Rawat. They will bring and manage the supporters from their respective segments. In Roorkee the enthusiasm among party activists and public is easily visible as the rally is being built up as the maiden rally of Sonia Gandhi and is being associated with the prestige of the city. Pradeep Batra, party candidate from Roorkee segment, told TNS that at least 50,000 crowd is expected at the venue, with party activists pouring in from all 13 districts of the state today itself. In view of the VVIP status accorded to the UPA chairperson, adequate security arrangements are being done with Special Protection Group (SPG), which gives cover to the Gandhi family, being at the helm of security affairs. Inner security cordon of Sonia Gandhi will be managed by elite SPG personnel, while second security layer will be donned by elite commandos of paramilitary forces and the third security layer will be of Uttarakhand police. Today, the whole rally venue, including the dais, was minutely inspected by sniffer dog squad of SPG and stairs leading to dais, barricades, entry doors and nearby neighbourhood buildings were scrutinised by SPG personnel with snipers already in place at strategic points. |
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Politics of tears and emotional atyachaar
Dehradun, January 16 The voters of the state were pleasantly surprised when they saw Leader of Opposition Harak Singh Rawat crying bitterly on television channels, reiterating his commitment to the voters of Rudraprayag Assembly segment where he was asked to contest by the party. Harak Singh Rawat, who considered himself as a front- runner for the post of chief minister if Congress return to power, has been caught in his own web. The boisterous and aggressive Harak Singh Rawat had been challenging his friend-turned-political foe former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to contest against him from Doiwala Assembly segment in Dehradun. The day BJP announced Nishank’s nomination from Doiwala, Harak Singh Rawat chickened out and started demanding ticket from any other seat. However, by then most of the party ticket were decided and Harak Singh Rawat was bluntly told to go to Rudraprayag from where he wanted party nomination for his close aide Luxmi Rana. A reluctant Harak Singh Rawat had no other option but to join the fray against Uttarakhand Minister Matbar Singh Kandari, a senior BJP leader, who had been winning the Rudraprayag Assembly segment for the past five terms. Both Harak Singh and Matbar Singh are close relatives as wives of both the leaders are real sisters. But maverick, Harak Singh Rawat opened his campaign by crying bitterly in public, talking about his commitment to the people, particularly youth of the area. Interestingly, earlier in 2004 when he was involved in the unwed mother scandal where a girl charged him of fathering her son, Harak Singh Rawat was frequently seen crying on camera. Later, he was cleared of the charges after a DNA test. The second senior Congress leader who has been seen crying in front of cameras is former Congress Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani, who was denied party ticket from Devprayag Assembly segment. Mantri Prasad had been crying bitterly at several places, alleging that he was denied party ticket just because he was a poor man. Even during the deliberations for ticket distribution, Uttarakhand Congress Chief Yashpal Arya was reportedly seen crying and leaving the meeting in a huff when he was not heard in ticket distribution. Birender Singh, general secretary and in-charge of party affairs of Uttarakhand, who is from Haryana, seems to be enjoying the antics by state Congress leaders. “ I am baffled by the dose of emotional atyachaar being given by Congress leaders. Apart from senior leaders, even many ticket aspirants are crying over my shoulder to get sympathy,” he told The Tribune. Harak Singh Rawat said that he became emotional after praying in a temple while launching his campaign and could not control his emotions. Mantri Prasad Naithani, a former Congress minister, who has also been crying in public, said that he was hurt by the treatment meted out to him by the Congress. |
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Political slugfest at Uttarayani fair
Nainital, January 16 At the venue on the banks of the Saryu river that is better known as Saryubagad, political parties had set up special pandals and had gone ahead to convert the event, which is generally of socio-religious importance, into an arena of political fight. In the pandal set up by the Congress, Pradeep Tamta, Lok Sabha member from the Almora constituency seat under which Bageshwar is covered, was the star campaigner. He not only listed the achievements of the Centre but also raised the issues of local importance. A leader who has been better known as a social activist, Tamta had chosen the occasion to lash out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly failing to generate employment at the local level and having done nothing to prevent the migration of the youth from the hilly terrain of the state. He also attacked the BJP for having “failed” to give a stable Chief Minister who could complete a complete term in office. Tamta also accused the BJP of having promoted corruption on various fronts. In the BJP pandal, it was left to former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who enjoys a considerable support in the region, to launch a counter attack. He chose to recount the scams that have marked the tenure of the UPA at the Centre. At the same time, he was seen giving local examples to convey that it is only the BJP that has scripted development in the state. The Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP), too, had a lot to say in its pandal. Its leaders, including BR Dhoni, could be seen attracting the masses with the claims that it is only the BSP who has taken care of the poor and the downtrodden sections of society. He said the victims of the rain-related disaster of 2010 were still running from pillar to post to get some relief. The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Progressive) chose the occasion to lash out at both the Congress and the BJP for having “betrayed” the people of the state. The leaders, including Mahesh Parihar, accused the two parties of dilly-dallying on the issue of a permanent capital of the state. The leaders also accused the BJP of having “orchestrated” a split in the UKD. They also attacked the Congress for having done nothing to contain inflation. |
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All set to ensure poll staff cast their votes
Nainital, January 16 District Election Officer (DEO) DS Garbyal has ordered that proper arrangements be made on this front with regard to the instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI). He has informed that the postal ballots will be dispatched along with the required set of instructions following a two-day training of the employees involved in the election exercise, which is scheduled to be held from January 19 to January 21. He has ordered the chief officer at the zila panchayat to make sure that the furniture and other requirements sought by the returning officers (ROs) with regard to the polling to be done through postal ballots is made available well in time. It has been pointed out that proper banners be got printed for the designated rooms where voting through the postal ballot is to be done. The district information officer has been asked to supervise the videography on this front. Instructions have also been issued with regard to the placement and subsequent collection of the drop boxes in which postal ballots would be cast. Meanwhile, the Chief Development Officer in Nainital Dhiraj Singh has asked the officials involved in supervision of the election process to study the diary containing the rules and other details in connection with the polling. |
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Cong against strong Lokpal: Khanduri
Kotdwar, January 16 In his first public meeting in his constituency on the outskirts of Kotdwar at Lalpur, Khanduri said
the BJP was the party committed to the welfare of the people. He attacked the Congress by saying that it was the party of opportunists and encouraged corruption. — PTI
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Poll snippets
Nainital: Showing some political imagination, the Congress candidate from Ramnagar has said the civic problems of the town could not be addressed because of the change in Chief Minister. During her campaign in the Peerumdara area of the constituency, Amrita Rawat lashed out at the BJP saying that on account of being busy with shuffling of the Chief Ministers, the BJP could not carry out any development
work. She pointed out that the pathetic condition of the hospitals, bus terminus and
railway station in Ramnagar was an example of the phenomenon. Almora district has 4,94,648 voters
Nainital: The final count of voters in Almora district has been put at 4,94,648 out of which 2,45,925 are males. This figure has been achieved following the final revision of the lists that was completed on January 12. In the revision exercise, the number of voters has come down by 187 in the Dwarahat constituency while the number in all other constituencies falling in the district has gone up. The other constituencies falling in the district are Salt, Ranikhet, Jageshwar, Almora and Someshwar. Toll-free number for code violation
Nainital: Poll observer in Udham Singh Nagar Diraj Kumar has issued an appeal to the people to come forward and get their complaints with regards to the violation of the Model Code of Conduct registered at the election control room. He has asked the people to get the complaints registered over the telephone on the toll free number
1950. Apart from this number, the other landline numbers of the control room are 05944--250856, 250857, 250858 and 250859. BJP ahead of Cong in publicity
Dehradun: The ruling BJP is way ahead of Congress in its publicity strategy. Already, the party has come out with an advertisement campaign on front pages of the Hindi newspapers with a slogan “Khanduri Hai Jaroori” (Khanduri is necessary) while the opposition Congress is nowhere to be seen. The Congress has also hired an advertisement agency but it has done nothing except sending an press release to mediapersons. On the day the election manifesto of the Congress was released, the hired agency could not provide election manifesto to the assembled mediapersons. The ruling BJP looked more organised in its election than the Congress. Koshiyari feeds crows
Dehradun: Senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari was seen offering traditional “Ghughutia” (sweets made of flour and jaggery) to crows on the auspicious occasion of the Makar Sankranti festival to pray for the victory of the BJP in the coming Assembly poll. Koshiyari participated in the Uttarayaini mela held on the banks of the Saryu river where political leaders also converge. Although the ritual of offering to crows is done mainly by children, Koshiyari also supported a necklace of “Ghughutia”. There is a belief that ancestors come in the form of crows to eat it and shower blessings. |
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The newly carved out Haridwar (rural) Assembly seat post-delimitation is witnessing a tough contest in the upcoming elections, owing to its demography and caste factors.
Forest-predominant Uttarakhand has its own set of challenges when it comes to development. The stringent Forest Conservation Act, human causalities in man-animal conflicts and day-to-day destruction of agriculture by wildlife animals, particularly simians and elephants, has catapulted these issues into major poll plank in the state Assembly elections.
Despite the chilling winter wave prevalent in the region, the political atmosphere is getting hotter as tomorrow the much-awaited election rally of Congress Party national chief Sonia Gandhi is scheduled in
Roorkee, Haridwar, district.
There are 96,337 voters, including 43,935 women, in the new constituency. While there are 58,000 voters belonging to the Hindu community, Muslims comprise 38,000 voters in the segment.