Janata Dal (United) to contest 20 seats
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 9
The Janata Dal (United) today announced the names of its candidates for 20 Assembly seats in the state.

The party is fielding candidates in an equal proportion in districts both in plain and hill areas. In previous elections the party was seen mainly confined to districts of Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar in the plains and Gangotri,Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Lansdowne in the hill areas.

The party has given ticket to three women, including a Muslim, from Laksar, Roorkee and Jhabreda seats.

State chief of the JD (U) Pramod Kumar Sharma told The Tribune that as the party had got a good response in the previous elections in the state, the party high command decided to field candidates from at least 20 seats.

He said the final list of candidates had been announced in consultation with party president Sharad Yadav.

Sharma said the party would take up local issues of unemployment, migration, a separate hill policy, peasants and other related issues in the elections.

Shiv Raj Singh, national general secretary of the party, said the party would focus on national issues such as inflation, Jan Lokpal Bill, Food Security Bill and corruption to expose the hidden pact between the Congress and the BJP.

ND Tiwari manages ticket for favourites
S.M.A. KAZMI/ TNS

Dehradun, January 9
Veteran Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister N.D.Tewari, who was sidelined by his party following the sex scandal expose in the Hyderbad Raj Bhawan in December 2009, has been able to pressurise the party high command to get the party ticket for his own favourites with active support and collaboration of party general secretary Birender Singh, much to the chagrin of genuine party men for the forthcoming Assembly poll.

Aryaendra Sharma, a personal assistant, and Manish Tewari, a nephew of Tewari, were given the party ticket by the party high command. Aryaendra Sharma will fight from Sahaspur Assembly segment in Dehradun while Manish Tewari will contest from Kashipur Assembly segment in Udham Singh Nagar district.

Interestingly, N.D.Tewari, a veteran Congress leader, played his cards well and with active support of party general secretary and in charge of party affairs of Uttarakhand Birender Singh, managed to pressurise the party high command to bend to his demand for party nominations for his own men.

Tewari, who was caught on camera with three women indulging in an immoral act as Governor of Andhra Pradesh, had to resign in December 2009. Falling from favour of Sonia Gandhi, Tewari had returned to Dehradun to occupy the official residence provided by the state government as former Chief Minister on FRI campus. He had been active socially and was participating in several programmes.

However, since Birender Singh, a Congress leader from Haryana became the general secretary in charge of Uttarakhand, the hopes of Tewari soared as he had been a close associate in the past. True to expectations, Birender Singh overnight turned Aryaendra Sharma into a political leader in white khadi from the tainted personal assistant of ageing Tewari.

Aryaendra Sharma started participating in Congress party meetings and programmes, which was resented by party leaders and workers. But none of the senior leaders dared challenge Birender Singh as state Congress chief Yashpal Arya, party MPs Satpal Maharaj and Vijay Bahuguna are known supporters of Tewari.

However, the party ticket to Tewari favourites was opposed by Union Minister of Agriculture, Food Processing and Parliamentary affairs Harish Rawat, a strong political opponent of Tewari, who is also a front runner for the post of Chief Minister in case Congress wins the Assembly polls.

To scuttle the opposition by the Harish Rawat camp, Tewari announced that he would field candidates under Nirantar Vikas Samiti, a social organisation floated by him in all the 70 Assembly seats of the state.

Birender Singh, party in charge, and Satpal Maharaj immediately rushed to Tewari to pacify him and pressurised senior party leaders in the national Capital to give in to the demand of Tewari or otherwise he would damage party chances of coming to power.

So finally, after dithering on the decision, the party caved in to his demand and gave the party ticket to Aryaendra Sharma and Manish Tewari. Already another close of relative of Tewari, Navparbhat, a former Uttarakhand minister, had been given the party ticket from Vikasnagar seat in Dehradun district.

After the Congress announced the ticket of his favourites, Tewari wrote to party president Sonia Gandhi, expressing his allegiance with the Congress ideology since childhood and his faith in the Nehru-Gandhi family. 

10 BJP supporters killed in accident
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 9
Ten BJP supporters of party candidate from Didhat Bishen Singh Chufal, who along with the later were on their way to file nomination papers, were killed while one was injured seriously when a boulder fell on their vehicle at Rangaun today. They were on their way to Kanalichina.

“ITBP, the Army and the police rescue teams have been deputed at the accident spot. Three bodies have been retrieved from under the debris, which fell on the jeep. The search for other passengers is on,” said Pithoragarh District Magistrate R Rajesh Kumar.

According to the information, the supporters of Chufal, who belonged to the Kanalichina area, most of the part of which has been included in the Didihat Assembly seat after the reorganisation of the Assembly seat, were going to Didihat to witness the nomination filing process of their leader.

As the jeep reached Rangaun, an entire portion of a hilltop from the left side suddenly fell on the jeep, killing three passengers on the spot. “The lone injured woman, Manju, has been referred to a Pithoragarh hospital by the rescue team and is being treated there,” said the DM.

According to district administration sources, the rescue team is facing difficulties due to bad weather conditions and lack of equipment with them.

BJP may change Hema Joshi, Karnwal’s seats
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 9
There is speculation that the BJP is having second thoughts about the candidatures of Hema Joshi from Lohaghat and Deshraj Karnwal from Jhabrera (SC) Assembly seats days after they were given party ticket. It is contemplating changing their seats, party sources claim.

State election campaign in-charge and senior party leader BS Koshiyari and BJP state election in-charge Dharmender Pradhan held discussions with party workers on the issue today, sparking rumours that Bina Maharana, sitting MLA from Chamapawat, may be fielded in Hema’s place.

The names of Shankar Pandey, a block level leader, and his wife are also doing the rounds for the Lohaghat seat. Senior party leaders say the party high command has resisted pressure from rebels, who have been demanding change of candidates on several Assembly seats.

They say the party has been forced to reconsider Hema’s candidature after party workers expressed their reservation about her chances of victory. It is also facing pressure to accommodate a woman candidate so that the tally of woman candidates could reach the desired figure of seven. “This is in keeping with the decision of the party to set aside 10 per cent of the Assembly seats for women,” said a senior BJP leader.

After the BJP decided to repeat both sitting women MLAs, Asha Nautiyal from Kedarnath and Rural Development Minister from Yamkeshwar, the decision to deny ticket to Beena Maharana was also questioned in the party. “Beena Maharana has been demanding ticket from Lohaghat but the party decided to field Hema Joshi, who is a weak candidate,” said a senior BJP leader.

While on the Jharbera (SC) seat the party may be forced to field Vyjantimala, Karnwal’s wife, in order to satisfy women workers of the party.

22 file papers from Haridwar
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 9
Twentytwo candidates filed their nomination papers from the Haridwar segment for the Assembly poll here today.

Among the BJP heavyweights, state Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik and Suresh Jain, an MLA, filed papers, while BSP leaders Mohammed Shahzad, Kareem Ansari, Hazi Tasleem and Brij Rani and Congress leader Satpal Brahamchari filed their nominations today.

However, no candidate filed nomination from Bhagwanpur and Jhabreda seats. Due to the strict implementation of the election code, the usual fanfare associated with the process of filling nomination papers was missing.

Leaders as well as candidates of various parties also ensured that no violation of the election code took place. Vehicles of their supporters were returned by Kaushik, Brahamchari and Shahzad.

There is a heavy deployment of state police and Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel at the district administrative office where the whole election process is going on.

Cong, BJP rebels to contest as Independents
Rajeev Khanna

Nainital, January 9
The turmoil that has been started by the disgruntled elements of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress on having been denied the party ticket to contest the Assembly poll is continuing unabated with the politicians coming up with individual shows of strength in the form of mahapanchayats.

While some of these elements have taken their decisions to defy its party leaderships and contest as Independents after leaving their parent parties, the others are learnt to have conveyed to their respective party leaderships that they would not be supporting the official candidates announced by the their party.

Cabinet Minister Gobind Singh Bisht, who has been the biggest casualty in the BJP when it came to the denial of ticket, has announced that he would be contesting the poll from the Bhimtal seat from where he had been seeking a ticket. He held a mahapanchayat at his residence in Haldwani where he levelled a series of allegations against the party leadership accusing it of conspiring to give ticket on the basis of personal affiliations and loyalties. He said in Bhimtal, the party leadership had announced a candidate who had openly gone against the party norms and leadership in the recent past. Bisht has charged that the BJP too wants that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate should win from the seat. He has given a two-day deadline to the party to reconsider its decision with regard to the distribution of ticket.

There is a large segment within the BJP, which is of the opinion that Bisht did not deserve to get the ticket and the party leadership has set an example by not fielding him from the seat.

Similarly, senior Congress leader Mahesh Sharma too announced his decision to quit the party at a mahapanchayat held at Himmatpur.

Bidding a tearful adieu to the party, he said his 35-year-old association was overlooked by the party leadership, which had decided to field an “outsider” from the Kaladhungi seat. He has also announced that he would be contesting the poll as an Independent candidate.

Just like in the case of Bisht, there is a large segment among the Congress workers who do not dispute the party’s decision to deny Sharma a ticket. Party workers are of the opinion that since his wife is already a zila panchayat chief, fielding him would have meant promoting dynasty cult in the party.

In yet another instance, senior BJP leader from Ramnagar Bhagirath Lal Chaudhary too has challenged the BJP’s decision of denying him a ticket from the Ramnagar seat. Announcing that he would not leave the primary membership of the party, he has quit the post of the convener of the cell of the party that was addressing the issues pertaining to the local municipal bodies of the state. He has demanded that the much talked about surveys conducted by the national president Nitin Gadkari be made public. The BJP sources have been claiming that the ticket have been distributed on the basis of these surveys.

CM files papers from Kotdwar

Uttarakhand Chief Minister BC Khanduri files papers in Pauri. A Tribune photograph

Dehradun, January 9
Uttarakhand Chief Minister B.C.Khanduri today filed his nomination papers from Kotdwar Assembly segment for the forthcoming state Assembly elections at the district headquaters of Pauri Garhwal.

Khanduri, who reached Pauri, had to face heavy snowfall as the weather turned bad. The Chief Minister had to walk for 7 km as vehicles were unable to move on the slippery road, due to heavy snowfall.

Khanduri met a large number of supporters en route to Pauri town, where he filed his nomination papers. — TNS

Ambrish Kumar quits Cong
To fight as Independent from the Ranipur-BHEL seat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 9
Feeling neglected and cheated, Congress leader Ambrish Kumar resigned from the party today. He took this decision after three days of deliberations with party leaders and pressure from his supporters.

Ambrish Kumar has announced that he will contest the Assembly elections as an Independent candidate from the Ranipur-BHEL Assembly segment.

Ambrish Kumar, who had joined the Congress two months ago, said he had been assured of party ticket by state Congress leaders, but they “backtracked” at the last moment.

Prior to this, Ambrish had left the Congress in 1985 to join the Samajwadi Party (SP). However, owing to some differences with state party leaders, he quit the SP. A year ago, he had founded the Rashtriya Krantikari Manch.

The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting with his supporters at Jwalapur here. With Ambrish contesting as an Independent, political equation in this hot segment has changed.

As Ambrish has been a former legislator, he has a sizeable supporters among the rural segment, particularly among the Dalits and minority communities. And his decision to fight as an Independent candidate is likely to affect the election prospects of Congress candidate from this seat Balwant Chauhan.

He also alleged irregularities in the distribution of party ticket in almost all seats of Haridwar district. “I will now contest as an Independent candidate. Love and support of the local public has compelled me to do so. My work in the past three decades in this city is further proved by thousands of people who came to urge me to contest this elections,” said Ambrish Kumar.

Meanwhile, Ambrish’s rivals, Aadesh Chauhan from the BJP, Vishal Chauhan from the BSP and Balwant Chauhan from the Congress, lashed out at him for his decision.

Aadesh Chauhan alleged that Ambrish was well-known for quitting various parties for personal interests. On the other hand, Balwant Chauhan described him as a “migratory” politician.

Take legal action against parties: Election officer
Rajeev Khanna
Tribune News Service

Nainital, January 9
District election officer (DEO), Nainital, Nidhi Mani Tripathi has ordered that legal action be initiated against those parties and candidates who fail to come up with a satisfactory response to the notices being served on them for the violation of the model code of conduct.

At a meeting held in Haldwani last evening, Tripathi ordered that the returning officers (ROs) must ensure that legal proceedings were undertaken after the issuance of notices to such candidates. She said the instances of the poll code violation were coming to light along with the declaration of candidates of various political parties.

Addressing the officials in charge of videography of events, Tripathi said they should carry out their jobs fearlessly and must provide the evaluated cost of campaign material and the vehicles used in rallies etc.

Tripathi ordered that the vehicles being used in political processions without permission must be impounded with immediate effect. She ordered that the use of poll campaign material on private property must be checked and treated as the poll code violation.

At the same time, the vehicles for which permission has been granted must display the permission certificate prominently on the glass of the vehicle. She laid particular emphasis on checking the use of loudspeakers from 10 pm to 6 am and said strict action be taken against the violators of the norms.

On the issue of the advertisements being published by various newspapers, the DEO said the candidates must take prior permission in writing for getting these advertisements published from the respective RO.

She also asked the ROs to call the booth-level officers (BLOs) and ensure that the voter slips were distributed well on time.

Calling for a strict surveillance with regard to the identified anti-social elements, she ordered the officials to regularly monitor the deposition of arms and ammunition with the authorities by the licence holders.

UJM, UKD(D), UPP join hands
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 9
The Uttarakhand Jan Manch (UJM), the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (D) and the Uttarkhand Parivartan Party (UPP) have joined hands together. Luxman Singh Chufal, officiating president of the UKD(D), said their forum consisted of active social and political people and organisations who were committed for the cause of the state and would address the problems of the hill people.

The symbol, flag, name of the forum, office-bearers, minimum common programme (MCP) and election programmes will be decided by January 14.

Rajan Todriya, general secretary, UJM, said they were constantly in touch with rebel leaders of the BJP and the Congress who were likely to join their forum.

He said the way the number of disgruntled leaders were on the rise both in BJP and Congress, it seemed the internal democracy had died down in these parties and only the supremacy of the high command was ruling above everything.

Rajiv Kothari, spokesperson of the UPP, said their combined forum would give a stable altenative against the misrule of the BJP and the Congress and would not compromise on moral principles in its bid to usurp power. In the same vain, he said they would also not let an anti-people government to seize power in the state as well.

A committee under the chairmanship of Gandhian socialite Virender Penuli has been constituted which will have two members of each of the party and one each nominated member from BJP and Congress rebels in the committee which will formulate issues pertaining to the CMP.

The UPP was earlier a part of the the Uttarakhand United Regional Front and had broken away from it blaming the UKD (P) president Trivender Singh Panwar for his arrogance and dictatorship.

Adverse entries against two officials
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 9
Chief Secretary Subash Kumar has recommended adverse entries against Director, Herbal Research Development Institute (HRDI), IRD Sundriyal and scientist in charge of the Centre for Aromatic Plant (CAP) Nripender Chauhan and the suspension of agriculture officer RK Batla, who is based at Satpauli (Pauri).

Inquiries against both the officials were underway at the highest level and today the Chief Secretary recommended adverse entries against the duo and the suspension of one official.