Pauri to set tone of state politics
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Pauri, January 12
All eyes are focused on Pauri district this time as Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha chief Tej Pal Singh Rawat, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Democratic) chief Diwakar Bhatt, former Cabinet ministers Amrita Rawat, Surendra Singh Negi, Teerath Singh Rawat, Sarojini Kaintura and Vijaya Barthwal, heavyweight Independents Yashpal Benam, Surweer Sajwan and Ganesh Godiyal, among others, are contesting from the six Assembly seats of the district.

This despite the fact that former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Dr Harak Singh Rawat, former state minister Amrita Rawat have left their home district (Pauri) and moved to other seats, the political importance of Pauri Garhwal has not changed much.

Besides, due to delimitation Pauri district now has only six Assembly seats as compared to eight seats previously. As the region has been home to a large number of politicians, the direction of the state politics too will depend on the election results in the district once again.

Khanduri, who is contesting from the Kotdwar seat, will face a tough fight from Congress candidate Surendra Singh Negi as due to delimitation his Dhumakot seat has become defunct.

Similarly, the impact of delimitation has forced Nishank, Harak Singh and Amrita to leave their home district and move to Doiwala, Rudraprayag and Ramnagar Assembly seats in other districts, respectively.

Independent MLA Yashpal Benaam from the Pauri seat, which has been reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes this time, has moved to the Chaubatthakal seat, where he will face state Education Minister and MLA from Pauri Teerath Singh Rawat of the BJP.

The BJP has fielded renowned Uttarakhand comedian Bhai Ghananand from Pauri (City). Dr Harak Singh Rawat, who won the Assembly elections for the first time from the Pauri seat in 1991, told The Tribune that he would contest from Rudraprayag. However, he added he had shifted to the Rudraprayag seat due to delimitation of seats.

While Matabar Singh Negi, district chief of the BJP, said had the Pauri seat not been reserved, Khanduri or Nishank would have contested from there.

 Khajan Das decides to stay with BJP
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 12
The efforts of Manohar Kant Dhayani, Bachi Singh Rawat, senior leaders of Uttarakhand BJP, proved fruitful as Cabinet minister Khajan Das has decided to stay with the party after all.

Though visibly miffed with the BJP leaders, Khajan Das decided against filing nominations from Rajpur as an Independent.

“I am still hurt with the treatment meted out to me but I for now have decided to stay with the BJP and to file nominations from the Rajpur Assembly seat,” he said.

The party leaders also managed to persuade senior leaders Lakhi Ram Joshi and Mohan Singh Gaunwasi, who had also been miffed with the BJP.

Besides, another rebel Shailender Singh Rawat (sitting MLA from Kotdwar), who had been angry with the BJP leadership after he was denied Assembly seat from Kotdwar and Chief Minister B.C Khanduri was declared the official, too has cooperated. He would now be canvassing for Khanduri.

However, in Uttarakhand several BJP leaders, including MLAs, have filed nominations. These include Sanjeev Agarwal (ex MLA) from Kashipur Assembly seat, Kailash Sharma (ex-MLA) from Almora Assembly seat, G.L Shah (ex-MLA) has filed his nominations from Tharali Assembly seat, Rajesh Painuly from Pratap Nagar and Mahipal Butola from Devprayag.

 Poll Manifesto
CPI(ML) vows to fight for Garsain as permanent capital
Rajeev Khanna/TNS

Nainital, January 12
The CPI(ML) released its poll manifesto in Haldwani today promising to play the role of a responsible Opposition while taking up the real issues of the people in the state.

Senior leaders of CPI(ML) releasing the party manifesto for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Haldwani on Thursday.

It pledged to strive towards making Gairsain the permanent capital of the state and get the guilty in the Khatima, Muzaffarpur and Mussourie incidents during the statehood agitation punished. The party also promised to take on touts, contractors, NGOs and the land mafia that are ruling the roost in the Uttarakhand political scene.

The CPI(ML) attacked the Congress and the BJP for working in tandem and playing the role of a friendly Opposition in the alternate Assembly terms. It also criticised the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) to be power hungry and the BSP for resorting to the politics of opportunism.

The CPI(ML) said while there were 56 scams and scandals during the Congress regime, there had been 65 scams during the BJP government. It pledged to oppose the anti-people economic policies and communalism and said it was committed to act as a responsible Opposition.

It also announced that it was committed to the enactment of a powerful Jan Lokpal Act at the national level and an effective Lokayukta Act in the state. It promised to take up the cause of anganwadi workers, Bhojan Matas, ASHA health workers, Gram Praharis, who were at present being treated as bonded labour by the government. The CPI(ML) promised to fight for the regularisation of their services and the payment of minimum wages to them.

The CPI(ML) expressed its commitment towards the distribution of at least 10 kg of foodgrains per unit under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and called for the grant of at least 200 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the payment of Rs 200 as daily wage under the scheme.

  Tiwari still carries political weight 
Tribune News Service

Nainital, January 12
The grand old man of Uttarakhand politics Narayan Dutt Tiwari made it a point to be personally present at the time of filing of nominations by his nephew Manish Tiwari from the Gadarpur Assembly constituency. His presence on the occasion is expected to give a head start to Manish Tewari in the poll campaign as Tiwari carries a tremendous political weight behind him despite being largely dormant in the political scenario of the state. Uttarakhand Congress chief Yashpal Arya, a protégé of Tiwari, was also present on the occasion.

Manish Tiwari was eventually asked to file his nominations from the Gadarpur seat after there was a stiff resistance by Congressmen over the party high command’s initial decision to field him from the prestigious Kashipur seat. Local parliamentarian KC Singh Baba had rushed to Delhi to take up the matter about the Kashipur seat with the senior party leaders at the AICC headquarters.

Sources say that Narayan Dutt Tiwari had been adamant on demanding a ticket from the region for his nephew and the party did not want to antagonise him just at this point of time. It is learnt that the granting of ticket to Manish Tiwri from the Gadarpur seat has come as a jolt to several top Congress leaders in the organisation, who had been wanting Shilpi Arora to get the party ticket. Eventually, the party high command bowed to the wishes of Narayan Dutt Tiwari.

Manish Tiwari is a young face in the Uttarakhand politics. The 33-year-old contestant has had his higher education abroad and claims to have been involved in behind-the-scene-political activities since early nineties.

Sources say that the attack on his vehicle by certain miscreants on Wednesday near Maseet village would also work in his favour. A rival ticket claimant from the party has already been suspended and a probe is being held in the matter both at the level of the party and by the police.

Manish Tiwari’s father RC Tiwari had sustained injuries in the attack that saw the car in which they were travelling being badly damaged. Rajinder Pal Singh, a rival ticket aspirant, who is allegedly behind the attack, was suspended from the party. He also filed his nominations from Gadarpur seat as an Independent.

 Resentment post-ticket distribution
Cong tasks Ghulam Nabi Azad with winning over rebels
Sma Kazmi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 12
The Congress high command has directed Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to camp in the state during the crucial days in the run up to the elections scheduled for January 30 in view of rebellion by a large number of leaders over distribution of ticket. Party general secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand Birender Singh is being accused of favouritism in ticket distribution and blamed for his failure to stem confusion and resentment over the selection of candidates.

Azad along with Birender Singh will release the party manifesto in Dehradun tomorrow. Similarly, Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee chief Yashpal Arya and senior leader Indira Hariydesh will release the election manifesto of the party at Haldwani.

Azad was the general secretary in-charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand during the first Assembly elections in February, 2002, which the Congress won to form the first elected government in the state.

According to party sources, Birender Singh has annoyed a lot of party leaders, including MP Satpal Maharaj, over the distribution of ticket. There were allegations of favourtism and even money exchanging hands in the selection of candidates, which Birender Singh had denied. There were allegations against Birender Singh and Tehri Garhwal MP Vijay Bahuguna that they deliberately selected weak candidates according to their wish and fancies.

Most of the senior Congress leaders are finding it difficult to swallow giving two ticket to the favourites of former Chief Minister ND Tiwari. They allege that these leaders played along Tewari to allegedly blackmail the Congress high command in giving concession to the former Chief Minister, who had threatened to put up candidates under the banner of his social organisation, Nirantar Vikas Samiti.

They allege that Aryaendra Sharma, a personal assistant of ND Tiwari, who has been given ticket from Sahaspur, and Manish Tiwari, Tiwari’s nephew, have been given ticket at the expense of devoted Congress leaders and workers, who have put several years for the party.

The nervousness of Birender Singh and Vijay Bahuguna was evident at the first press conference after the distribution of ticket, where they refused to reply to questions on ticket distribution.

Azad is considered lucky for the Uttarakhand Congress and he also knows each and every party leader due to his earlier experience in the state. According to the party sources, he will be entrusted with the task of winning back party rebels, who have threatened to mar the chances of the official party candidates in several Assembly segments.

  26 papers filed in Almora constituency
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, January 12
A total of 26 nominations were filed in all 14 seats of four districts which are part of Almora parliamentary constituency today on the last day of the nominations, making the total number of nominations to 120 in all seats of the constituency.

According to information received from district election offices of these districts, in Pithoragarh the number of total nominations has gone up to 36 in all four seats with 10 nominations added on the last day of the nominations. “Out of 36 total nominations in the district, maximum 12 nominations were filed in Dharchula Assembly seat followed by 10 in Didihat seat and 7 each in Pithoragarh and Gangolihat seat,”’ said a press release by the district election office today.

In 6 Assembly seats of Almora district, a total of 50 candidates have filed their nominations with 6 nominations filed today on the last day. “Except BJP candidate Ajay Tamta from Someshwar seat and SP candidate Arjun Bhakuni from Almora seat, others who have filed their nominations today were independents,” said the election 
officer, Almora.

In Champawat, with 5 nominations today, the total number of candidates who filed their nomination papers from two seats of the district had gone up to 12, said District Election Officer Aashis Joshi.

In Bageshwar district, a total of 3 nominations, including two in Kapkot and one in Bageswar seat, were filed today. “With these final day nominations, the total number of nominations filed in the district had gone to 22,” said the election office of the district.

  Panthers Party’s ‘Sonia Madam’ vows to fight corruption
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 12
It is not only big politicians who are garnering attention but also first-timer candidates who are making forays into the political field in view of mass corruption and several malpractices prevalent in society.

One such candidate is Sonia Madam, an eunuch, whose prime motive is to eradicate corruption and bad image that has crept in the political set-up. Contesting as a candidate from the Nationalist Panther's Party from Haridwar city, Sonia feels that her honest, hard-working and anti-corruption tirade will sail her through the voter’s heart, and eventually to the state Assembly.

Being from a specific community, she is full of confidence. Sonia told TNS that her background was no disqualification as per Indian election norms, and she was not confining herself to a single community but catering to the aspirations of the whole Assembly segment.

Taking on her opponent BJP’s Madan Kaushik, Sonia says that the Cabinet minister’s tenure has been marred by scams, and his name has even figured in the case of murder of a girl working in a beauty parlour, which only maligns the very dignity of a legislator.

“It is time people realise that dishonest politicians with a criminal background and politicians seeking votes on account of religion-caste-creed and regionalism should be shown the door,”said Sonia after filing her nominations today.

Accompanied by a large number of supporters, Sonia is confident that she will at least gain a substantial number of votes and as a social activist will be working for the people, whatever be the election result.

Her supporters fondly call her Sonia Madam, relating her indirectly to Congress party supremo Sonia Gandhi.

When questioned that Haridwar city had a large proportion of saint community, she remarked: “I will seek blessing from them, as being religious gurus, they will always side with the truth and honest candidates.”

  40 Cong campaigners in Uttarakhand

Dehradun, January 12
Uttarakhand has come up with a list of 40 campaigners who would be canvassing for the Congress Party in Assembly elections in the state.

Uttarakhand Congress spokesman Surendra Kumar today released the list of party’s election campaigners. Apart from UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress general secretary

Rahul Gandhi, the list has a number of union ministers, congress chief ministers and other senior Congress office-bearers.

Among union ministers who would be campaigning for Congress in Uttarakhand are Pranab Mukherjee, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Anand Sharma, Virbhadra Singh, Subodh Kant Sahay, Mukul Wasnik, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Rajeev Shukla and CP Joshi. Delhi CM Sheila Dixit and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot will be visiting Uttarakhand for the electoral campaign. Salman Khursheed, Mohd Azharuddin and Rashid Alvi were among the Congress Muslim leaders who will be taking to campaigning in the state.

Filmstar Nagma also finds place among the list of Congress campaigners in the state. — TNS

 BJP cadres angry at poll office opening invitation to Uniyal
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, January 12
Anger is brewing among the BJP party cadres in Mussoorie over the issue of tainted president of Municipal Council OP Uniyal, extending his support to BJP nominee Ganesh Joshi in the Assembly elections from Mussoorie.

A section of the party cadre is angry at party leaders for inviting Uniyal at the inauguration function of the BJP election office in Mussoorie recently.

According to sources in the party, several BJP workers have aired their discontent over involving the controversial MC president, who is presently facing a CBI enquiry in the charges of corruption under the direction of the High Court.

The party workers have alleged that the presence of OP Uniyal at the inauguration ceremony of the election office and exchange of sweets with nominee Ganesh Joshi had not gone down well with the party workers here.

The discontented section of party workers said that this time the BJP had bright prospects of wresting the seat from the two-time sitting Congress MLA Jot Singh Gunsola, but if the party continued to take MC president Uniyal along with Joshi in the election campaign, it could hamper the chances and could result in a great loss to the party.

The discontented BJP workers have categorically said that if OP Uniyal accompanies Joshi in the election campaign they will stay away from the process completely. The BJP workers cited the tainted image of Uniyal, who is facing CBI enquiry over the charges of financial embezzlement, corruption and nepotism as the main reason for the anger in the party.

The disenchanted leaders in the party are also of the view that on the one hand the party was trying to portray its clean image and fight corruption at all levels, and on the other hand was working hand-in-glove with tainted MC president Uniyal under mysterious circumstances.

They have demanded that the BJP should direct the organisation officials to stay away from OP Uniyal if they wanted to win the election from Mussoorie, which is considered as a strong bastion of the Congress Party.

When contacted, the senior BJP leader Amichand Mangla clarified that presence of Uniyal was unintentional during the inauguration of the election office in Mussoorie, and the same mistake would not be repeated at any cost in the near future.

BJP president of the local unit Roop Singh Kathait, when contacted, said that Uniyal visited the election office as an ordinary party worker and the organisation was clear that the services of Uniyal will be used by the party actively after he is cleared of all charges during the election campaign in Mussoorie.

MC president OP Uniyal, when contacted, said that the charges of corruption levelled against him were under a planned conspiracy and have not been proven as yet, and, moreover, he was a loyal worker of the party and would work in these elections as per the direction of the party high command, and not according to the whim and fancy of his retractors. 

  Ganesh Joshi seeks blessings of Mussoorie voters 
Our correspondent

Mussoorie, January 12
Heavy snowfall that began in the evening hours could not deter the plans of BJP nominee Ganesh Joshi from Mussoorie from seeking blessings of voters in the biting cold today.

Ganesh Joshi, after inaugurating his election office in Suvakholi, was greeted with heavy snowfall in the evening. Despite heavy snow Ganesh Joshi, along with party workers, sought blessings of voters in the door- to-door campaign. Joshi reiterated his claims of the BJP returning into power once again in the state. He also said that the dreams of the two-time sitting MLA Jot Singh Gunsola of performing a hatrick would be shattered this time as he would win with thumping margin from Mussoorie.

Local BJP president Roop Singh Kathait, senior BJP leaders Amichand Mangla, Kushal Singh Rana, Anil Godiyal, Sarojini Kaintura, Geeta Rawat and others were present on the occasion.

Earlier, congress MLA Jot Singh Gunsola and the rebel Congress candidate also took out processions and filed their nominations from Mussoorie constituency today.

In Dhanualti constituency Congress rebel candidate Jot Singh Bisht also filed his nominations at the district headquarters, New Tehri, today.

Poll Snippets

Confusion about new constituencies

Dehradun: With January 30, the date of polling, fast approaching, voters in many parts of Dehradun are still unaware of their constituencies. The voters residing in localities falling along the border of two constituencies are more confused due to the carving of new constituencies following delimitation. The Doiwala constituency has been split into Dharampur, Doiwala and Raipur constituencies. The residents of the Guru Teg Bahadur Road that was earlier part of the Doiwala constituency were still not aware of the new constituency. Similarly, Nehru Colony, which is adjacent to the Guru Teg Bahadur Road, falls in the Raipur constituency. Significantly, it is only through posters that the residents of these areas are getting to know about their constituencies.

Door-to-door campaigning

Dehradun: Most of the candidates here are relying on door-to-door canvassing to garner votes. The Congress candidate from the Dharampur seat, Dinesh Aggarwal, on Thursday visited the Mehuwala locality and interacted with the people. His main rival, BJP candidate Prakash Suman Dhyani, too visited the Deepnagar ward of the Dharampur seat and sought support for himself. Due to the strict implementation of the model code of conduct, the candidates have so far not gone for big hoardings to keep the poll expenses within limit.

45 minutes for parties on DD, AIR

Dehradun: The Election Commission of India has allotted broadcast and telecast time in Doordarshan and All India Radio to various political parties for the Assembly elections. All national and regional political parties have been given 45 minutes to present their views. The allotted 45 minutes to the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal will be divided equally between the UKD (Progressive) and the UKD (Democratic).

Register of poll-related complaints

Nainital: The Central observer for the Rudrapur and Kitcha Assembly constituencies, Dhiraj Kumar, has ordered that all complaints received at the level of the Returning Officer (RO) and their disposal be mentioned in the register of the Control Room set up for the respective constituencies. He personally visited the Election Control Room and took stock of its functioning on Thursday. He also took stock of the functioning of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee in Rudrapur.

Poll-related updates on blog

Nainital: In a novel initiative, the district administration of Udham Singh Nagar has started posting all poll-related updates on the new blog of the Information Department. All information, notices and other proceedings with regard to the functioning of the election machinery in the district is being posted on informationusnagar.blogspot.com.

‘Bribing’ for leave from poll duty

Nainital: The election office has a new problem at hands with regard to the deployment of personnel on poll duty. It is being flooded with requests for leave on trivial and frivolous grounds. Reports say the applicants are going to the extent of trying to bribe senior officials with cases of apples for sanctioning leave. Most of these requests are coming from teachers who are not willing to go to the remote areas on poll duty due to harsh weather conditions there.