Mussoorie, January 24
Congressmen from Mussoorie, livid at the statements made by BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, alleging corruption in the Congress-led UPA Government, counter-attacked by pointing out sharing of the same dais by Gadkari with tainted BJP municipal council president OP Uniyal during his election visit to Mussoorie yesterday.

The Congress members from Mussoorie, reacting to Gadkari’s remark on corruption, said that he was trying to shield the rampant corruption committed by his government in the state and was levying baseless allegations to hide his frustration as maximum members of the BJP Cabinet in the state themselves were under the scanner over several charges of corruption.

Nitin Gadkari had stated that Congress was mother of corruption in the country and 2G and Adarsh housing scams were living examples of it where many Congress leaders had been arrested and sent to jail.

Following the remarks made by Gadkari, the Congress members from Mussoorie stepped up the counter-attack on the issue of corruption against BJP. Congress party took Gadkari to task by pointing out his sharing of dais with BJP municpal council president OP Uniyal.

The Mussoorie Congress general seceratary, Javed Khan, raised question over Nitin Gadkari sharing the same dais with the corrupt BJP municipal council president while campaigning for Ganesh Joshi yesterday.

The Congress nominee from Mussoorie Assembly segment, Jot Singh Gunsola, also said that Gadkari by sharing the dais with corrupt Uniyal, who is facing a CBI enquiry on the charges of rampant corruption, showed the two-faced character of BJP, which was raising the issue only on surface.

Gunsola further said that Gadkari, by giving a clean chit to Nishank on the charges of Kumbh Mela and Citurgia scams, proved that BJP intentions on the issue of corruption were only cosmetic.

When contacted, the local unit BJP president Roop Singh Kathait clarified that MC president OP Uniyal had not been indicted as yet on any charges of corruption. The CBI enquiry was also being conducted on the whole issue and, moreover, Uniyal was a party worker and had every right to attend the meeting of the party, added Kathait. He also said that no person could be treated as a criminal before his guilt was proven and the Congress, just to save its face, was raising the issue unnecessarily to gain points in the elections.

It is worth mentioning that a section of BJP workers had also questioned the presence of tainted MC president during the election campaign earlier to the extent of leaving the party. The CBI enquiry was ordered by the High Court on the charges of corruption and nepotism against Uniyal a few months back. 

Mussoorie, January 24
For the first time, regionalism and caste politics at the micro level is being played out in Dhanaulti while the real development issues are being ignored. The nominees in the fray are relying more on exploiting regional and caste aspiration to garner support than raising the issue of 
development.

It seems that the rebels from the Congress and the BJP, contesting as Independent candidates, have taken the lead this time in raising the caste and regional sentiments to ensure their victory from Dhanaulti.

BJP rebel Rajesh Nautiyal from the Chaijula region (patti), who is contesting as an Independent, is trying to raise the regional sentiments and portray himself as the mass leader fighting for the respect and integrity of the Chaijula and Dus Jula regions in the Jaunpur block.

His supporters are also portraying Nautiyal as a leader of a great stature from the Brahman community.

Another rebel candidate from the Congress, Jot Singh Bisht, contesting as an Independent described the denial of ticket to him as disrespect to the people of the Thauldhar block.

During his campaign, Bisht has been successful in raising the anti-national party sentiments by spreading the message that the Congress and the BJP have failed to give ticket to any leader from the Thauldhar region, therefore this was the best opportunity for them to seek revenge by casting their vote in his favour.

Bisht, being a seasoned politician, does talk about development issues during his campaign and is promising development. He has promised to promote organic farming along with micro financing, however, the focus still remains on the region that has never seen any MLA from the constituency.

For the first time, both national parties have fielded their candidates from the same region, Palli Gard. Mahaveer Rangad from the BJP belongs to Lalotna village and Manmohan Singh Mall is from a neighbouring village, Bangaar.

The other candidates, Mohan Lal Nirala from the BSP, Gulab Singh Rawat, Usha Panwar, Devendar Chamoli and Yashvir Arya, who do not have much clout in the region, are also trying to galvanise the support of voters from the areas they represent using similar means.

Praveen Uniyal from Kempty village said national parties have failed to provide any relief to them and this time he was pinning his hopes on Rajesh Nautiyal to solve the problems of the constituency.

Ramesh Rawat from the Thauldhar region believes that the treatment meted out by the Congress to the leader from their region, Jot Singh Bisht, has raised awareness among them and this time they were supporting him. The officials of major political parties have termed such tactics as dangerous for the democracy. Youth Congress leader from the region Bittoo Kavi was of the view that such issues do not last long and the educated voter of the region would realise that by raising caste and regional sentiments, the Independent candidates could fool voters for short time but in the long run, the issues would outplay any other aspiration.

Dehradun, January 24
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today squarely blamed the BJP government in Uttarakhand for failing to use Central funds for the development of the state. He also held the BJP government responsible for instability in the region due to which there had been five Chief Ministers during its seven-year rule in the state.

Pranab told mediapersons in Dehradun that despite huge Central aid, the Uttarakhand government had not been able to spend the funds for the welfare of the people. “A staggering Rs 2,971 crore has been given to the state in the last seven years. Besides, Rs 2,185 crore for human resource development, Rs 1,402 crore for health and family welfare and Rs 1,517 crore for road transport and highways have been provided to the state in the same period,” Mukherjee said, adding that the state government failed to use the funds for the development of the state.

He said the BJP government was not even clear whether it should favour hydroelectric projects or not. “The Uttarakhand Government on the one hand calls for increasing power generation and on the hand it supports those who are protesting against the construction of hydropower projects in the state,” Pranab said, referring to the Pala Maneri project that was scrapped by the Centre after several groups opposed it.

Pranab also asked the BJP to explain what compelled it to change Chief Ministers so many times. “By changing five chief ministers in seven years the BJP has given instability to Uttarakhand,” he said.

The Union minister said the industrial package given to the state could not be extended further as it would lead to regional disparity. “It has been noticed that some industries from the neighbouring regions are shifting to Uttarakhand to avail concessions,” he said. He, however, added that the Centre was committed to industrialisation in Uttarakhand.

On Anna Hazare’s agitation for Jan Lokpal, Pranab said the Congress was committed to ending corruption. He held the Opposition responsible for the non-passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament. “We don’t have the majority in the Rajya Sabha and thus cannot be held responsible for the non-passage of the Lokpal Bill. It was the Opposition that changed its stand on the issue,” he added.

Associate in-charge of the Uttarakhand Congress Anees Ahmed and vice-president of the state Congress Suryakant Dhasmana were also present on the occasion?.

Dehradun, January 24
Voters would be able to record the option of “none of the above candidates” by filing the register kept at the poll booths. Chief Electoral Officer, Uttarakhand, Radha Raturi has said that in view of the Vidhan Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India has communicated relevant provisions regarding electors who decide to opt for the option of rejection of candidates.

She said that Rule 49 O of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, provides that the presiding officer can register the entry in Form 17A of the voter by putting his thumb impression or his signature against such remark.

The CEO said that the provision has already been explained during the training of poll personnel. These instructions have also been brought to the notice of all election-related officials, especially the presiding officers and polling officers, during the ensuing elections for strict compliance of the prescribed procedure regarding electors who decide not to cast votes after signing in Form 17A.

She said that the instructions were being issued in view of complaints from several quarters that the polling personnel were not aware of the procedure in this regard, resulting in confusion in the polling station and inconvenience to the electors.

Raturi said that the commission had directed that the number of electors who decided to opt for the option of “none of the above,” invoking the provisions of the said Rule 49 O should be compiled for record purposes. The figures regarding the number of such electors will be indicated in Form 17C (Account of votes recorded).

Dehradun, January 24
With only a few days remaining for the January 30 poll, the Uttarakhand BJP today stepped up it’s election campaign by bringing in senior leader L.K. Advani, who addressed an election rally at Bhimtal (Kumaon).

In Dehradun after a brief lull the star campaigners of the BJP were at their task again canvassing for the candidates in different parts of the state.

Filmstar and senior BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha and television star and president of BJP women’s wing Smriti Irani canvassed for BJP candidate from Raipur Assembly seat Trivender Singh Rawat and BJP candidate from Rajpur Assembly seat Rajender Kataria.

Earlier, BJP national president Nitin Gadkari met media persons in Dehradun. 

Dehradun, January 24
Former chairperson of the National Commission of Women and senior Congress leader Girja Vyas today said the people of Uttarakhand wanted a change and were anxiously awaiting the return of Congress government in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, Girja Vyas said the sole achievement of the BJP Government in Uttarakhand had been change of chief ministers. She said rampant corruption had taken place in BJP rule in Uttarakhand and revealed that a total of 419 cases of corruption had taken place in the state.

Vyas also took the opportunity to refer to the achievements of the UPA Government at the Centre. She said UPA had worked to weed out corruption in the country and work for the empowerment of women. She reminded Congress was committed to reservation for women and firmly believed that 33 per cent reservation for women in state Assemblies and the Lok Sabha was the best way to ensure women’s empowerment.

She also asserted that Congress will fulfil each and every promise made in its manifesto if it was voted to power in the state. Uttarakhand head of intellectual cell DS Mann and state Congress vice president Suryakant Dhasmana were present at the news conference.