Royal family rises again in political firmament
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 13
With the results of the Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha bypoll out today, it is the Shah family that has again dominated the political scene in the state. Since the first parliamentary elections in 1951 to 2009 and now the 2012 bypoll, the royal family of the Kanak Pal dynasty has won the Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat for the 10th time, with late Maharaja Manvendra Singh winning it record eight times.

Royal family's victory 1951 Maharani Sahiba Kamalendu Mata Shah- Independent 1957 Maharaja Manvendra Shah- Congress 1962 Maharaja Manvendra Shah- Congress 1967 Maharaja Manvendra Shah- Congress 1991 Manvendra Shah- BJP 1996 Manvendra Shah- BJP 1998 Manvendra Shah- BJP 1999 Manvendra Shah- BJP 2004 Manvendra Shah- BJP 2012 Maharani Mala Raj Lakshmi - BJP

It was only in 1971 when Manvendra Shah, after leaving the Congress, lost to social activist Paripoornanand Panyuli by 48,325 votes. Otherwise neither Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna nor former Petroleum Union Minister Braham Dutt could break their domination except in the 2007 and 2009 elections.

The first member from the Shah family to win the election was Maharani Sahiba Kamlendu Shah, who defeated Congress candidate Krishna Singh by 13,982 votes in 1951 and entered the Lok Sabha from the region.

In 1957, new delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies was done and the Tehri Garhwal seat became a separate segment. Following the footsteps, Manvendra Shah contested his maiden election from the Congress and gained one lakh plus votes by defeating Shyam Chand Negi.

Popularity of Manvendra Shah could be gauged by the fact that he was elected unopposed in 1962 from Tehri Garhwal, which is the third incident from Uttar Pradesh (Uttarakhand) till date. The other two being Dimple Yadav Kannauj (2012) and Purushottam Das, Allahabad (1952).

During this time, voices of unrest against the royal family’s anti-poor policies and cancelling of Privy Purse of princely states led to the anti-Shah clan environment, which resulted in the defeat of Manvendra Shah for the first time against Paripoornanand Panyuli. The defeat was a shocking both for the political analysts and Manvendra Shah himself as he took a break from politics.

In the subsequent Lok Sabha elections of 1977, 1980, 1984 and 1989, neither Manvendra Shah nor any person from the royal family contested elections. But after a hiatus of two decades, Manvendra Shah broke into the political scene from Tehri once again, though this time switching to the BJP.

Now an undefeated era started for Manvendra Shah as he defeated two-time Tehri MP and Union Petroleum Minister Braham Dutt by 45,903 votes.

Next election in 1996, Braham Dutt’s son Nav Prabhat, former Cabinet Minister in the ND Tiwari government, was fielded against Shah. He, however, met the same fate as his father.

The mid-term poll in 1998 saw Manvendra Shah gaining mass popularity as he garnered 2,62,545 votes by defeating his nearest rival from the Congress Hira Singh Bisht by a record 1,82,092 votes. This is the highest ever margin of victory from the Tehri Garhwal seat.

Making his electoral debut from Tehri in 1999 was present state Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who after losing from the Pauri Garhwal seat in the previous election, tried to break the royal clan foothold. But Bahuguna met the same fate as he had met in Pauri Garhwal, losing to Manvendra Shah then and subsequently in 2004.

Due to the death of Manvendra Shah in 2007, bypoll was held where his son Manujvendra Shah contested but lost to Vijay Bahuguna.

Now with Maharani Mala Raj Laxmi winning the Tehri bypoll against Congress candidate Saket Bahuguna, the Tehri dynasty has again made a comeback.

Also, Mala Raj Laxmi Shah has taken a sweet revenge of her husband’s electoral defeat in 2007 at the hands of her rival Saket Bahuguna’s father Vijay Bahuguna.

Doon dist gives decisive lead to Raj Lakshmi Shah
BJP candidate wins Tehri Lok Sabha byelection by 22,694 votes
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 13
The Congress in Uttarakhand received a severe blow after its nominee, Saket Bahuguna, was defeated by BJP nominee Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah in the Tehri Lok Sabha bypoll by a margin of 22,694 votes, the results of which were declared today.

The BJP candidate Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah polled a total of 2,45,835 votes while Saket Bhauguna could manage only 2,23,141.

A total of 14 candidates were in the fray, out of which 12 candidates lost their deposits.

While Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha candidate Kunwar Japinder Singh polled a total of 7,446 votes, Yogi Rakesh Nath of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Democratic) polled only 4,096 votes and Trivender Singh Panwar of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Progressive) polled a total of 6,935 votes.

As soon the counting began at Niranjanpur mandi amid tight security, the first few trends came in favour of the Congress. But as counting progressed and more and more results began pouring in from Dehradun district, Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah took a comfortable lead over her nearest rival Saket Bahuguna.

Out of the seven assembly segments falling under Dehradun district, BJP candidate Mala Raj Lakshmi led in Raipur with a total of 28,631 votes, Rajpur Road (ST) with a total of 20,060 votes, Sahaspur with a total of 24,768 votes and in the Dehradun Cantonment assembly segment by a total of 22,966 votes. These assembly segments proved crucial for the BJP and gave the desired edge to its candidate.

However, the Congress maintained its hold in the Chakrata (ST) assembly segment falling under Dehradun district due to the determined efforts of Cabinet Minister Preetam Singh. The Congress candidate Saket Bahuguna polled 24,967 votes and Shah managed with 15,322 votes.

However, contrary to expectations, the BJP managed to bag only one assembly seat Yamnotri in Uttarkashi district. But it lost the Purola (SC) assembly segment won during the 2012 assembly elections and the 2009 general elections.

In Tehri district, Saket Bahuguna won the assembly segments of Pratapnagar and Dhanolti, while Shah won the Tehri and Ghansali assembly segments.

As soon as the news filtered in about the BJP’s exceptional performance in Dehradun district, party workers danced outside the Niranjanpur mandi. Soon BJP candidate Mala Raj Lakshmi accompanied by her husband Manujendra Shah, daughter Ksheerja and her husband Sameer too came at the counting venue.

While speaking with mediapersons, Shah humbly accepted the verdict of the people and said, “I am thankful to the people of Tehri, Dehradun and Uttarkashi for supporting the BJP. I will try to come up to the expectations of the people. My priority will be to raise the issues touching the people of the state in Parliament,” she said. 

Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah first woman MP from state
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 13
Finally, Uttarakhand has got its maiden woman Lok Sabha parliamentarian in the form of Maharani Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah from the Tehri Garhwal constituency since the creation of separate hill state on November 9, 2000.

Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah

Uttarakhand has witnessed two general elections in 12 years. Mala Raj Lakshmi is the third woman who has entered the Parliament's Lower House from Uttarakhand.

Suprisingly, women voters account for a substantial percentage in this state but when it comes to ticket allocation, be it national parties or regional parties, fairer sex are denied political opportunity.

Notably, since independence only three women politicians have made it to the Lok Sabha in 15 parliamentary elections from the Uttarakhand region.

The first one to make it to the House was Maharani Sahiba Kamlendu Mati Shah in first Lok Sabha election 1951 by winning from the Tehri Garhwal constituency which was then known as Garhwal district (West)-cum- Tehri Garhwal district-cum-Bijnore district (North).

Women MPs 1951: Maharani Sahiba Kamlendu Mati Shah - Tehri Garhwal (UP) 1998: Ila Pant - Nainital (UP) 2012: Mala Raj Lakshmi — Tehri, Uttarakhand

Maharani Sahiba Kamlendu Mati Shah was the grandmother of Maharani Mala Raj Lakshmi.

Contesting as an independent candidate, Maharani Kamlendu garnered 50.94 per cent of total votes polled bagging 68,811 votes defeating Indian National Congress candidate Krishna Singh by a margin of 54,829 votes while Shyam Chand Negi of the Kisan Majdoor Praja Party (KMPP) could just garner 11,452 votes. But since then, it was a long gap of 47 years when another woman politician won a Lok Sabha seat from the Uttarakhand region.

It was Ila Pant, wife of Krishan Chandra Pant who was a four-time Lok Sabha member from Almora and New Delhi. Ila Pant defeated Union Minister and former Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand Chief Minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari in a high voltage contest in 1998.As BJP candidate, Ila Pant got 2,92,761 votes while Congress candidate ND Tiwari lost by just 15,577 votes. Her husband KC Pant had lost the Nainital seat in the 1977 elections later moving to New Delhi where he won it in 1984. He had been representing the Nainital Lok Sabha from 1961 to 67 and 71 elections. He had was holding Defence Ministry and Vice-Chairmanship of the Planning Commission.

Another woman candidate who got close to snatching a victory was Renuka Rawat, wife of Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat, in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

As Harish Rawat, who was MP from Almora in 1980, 84 and 89, lost the electoral battle to BJP candidate Jeevan in 1989 and subsequently to the BJP’s Bachi Singh Rawat in '91, '96, '98 and '99 and fielded his wife in 2004.

But Bachi Singh Rawat again won and Renuka got 2,15,690 votes losing by a narrow margin of 10,052 votes only.Now, Maharani Mala Raj Lakshmi has replicated the feat achieved by Maharani Sahiba Kamlendu Mata and Ila Pant entering the Lok Sabha via the bypoll with a victory margin of 25,000 votes against Congress candidate Saket Bahuguna, son of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna who had been a two-time Tehri Garhwal MP.

Congress admits defeat in Tehri byelection
We will look into all aspects, says Yashpal Arya 
Tribune News Service

Saket Bahuguna

Dehradun, October 13
Accepting the verdict given by the people of the Tehri parliamentary constituency, the Congress has promised to work for their welfare in the future to win their confidence in the 2014 general election.

Addressing a press conference, President of the state unit of the party Yashpal Arya and party candidate Saket Bahuguna admitted the party's defeat.

Yashpal Arya said the party would look into all aspects of its defeat in the byelection.

When asked about poor performance by the Congress in the Assembly segments represented by it, he said all aspects, including any internal sabotage, would be analysed.

Saket said it was in Dehradun that led to the party's defeat in the byelection.

He said being a lawyer, he was unable to explain the policies and programmes of the party to Dehradun residents, who voted against the Congress.

He, however, denied that the policies of the Union Government, including the price hike and capping of LPG cylinders, led to his defeat. "No policy is bad, but we failed to explain it to the people," he added.

Saket announced that since he had now entered the politics, he would not run away. "People have rejected me this time. But during the next one and a half years, I will work hard to win their confidence for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Saket further said all efforts would be made to fulfil the promises made to the people of Tehri during the election.

He thanked the people of the hilly areas who voted for party took a massive lead.

Saket also congratulated Mala Raj Lakshmi Shah for her maiden victory.

Bid to loot commercial truck; seven arrested
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, October 13
On a tip-off, the Haridwar police today arrested seven persons from the Garden colony, who were allegedly planning to loot a commercial truck.

The accused identified as Gulbahar, Kabootar, alias Joni, Rahul, Ravindra, Sandeep and Tarvej Alam were allegedly planning to loot a commercial truck belonging to Hindustan Lever Limited, which was carrying goods worth Rs 20 lakh to deliver it in Delhi.

Though the mastermind behind the looting plan, Harendra Thakur, managed to flee from the spot, the police managed to arrest the other accused.

Haridwar SSP Arun Mohan Joshi said revolvers and sharp knives had been seized from their possession.

During interrogation, the accused said they were to stop the truck near Patanjali Yogpeeth, 15 km from Haridwar. They also admitted to their involvement in several other such cases.

The accused said they were lured into this illegal act by gang leader Harendra Thakur, who runs Delhi-Punjab Road Lines Transport Company.

"Harendra used to give us numbers, details and timings of commercial trucks coming from the SIDCUL. Then we would block the way of the targeted truck by faking an accident at a secluded stretch. Later, we would overpower the truck driver and conductor. After tying them with a rope, we threw both of them in fields and ran away with the truck material," said Gulbahar, one of the accused.

SP (City) KL Shah lauded the police team comprising SHO, Bahadrabad, Vidya Bhushan Negi, Rajesh Kumar,Vinod Chaurasia, Sanjay Singh, Jitendra Shah, Dheer Singh, Rahul Dev, Pankaj Kumar and Anil Rawat.

Ramdev welcomes CBI probe into disappearance of guru
Ananya Panda
Tribune News Service

Ramdev

New Delhi, October 13
Baba Ramdev today welcomed the Uttarakhand government’s suggestion for a CBI inquiry into the disappearance of Guru Shankar Dev Singh but also expressed doubt whether or not a fair probe will be carried into the matter.

He dared the government to conduct a thorough inquiry while refuting all allegations regarding him and his associate Acharya Balkrishna being involved in the disappearance of his guru Shankar Dev Singh.

“I am not afraid for any inquiry and the government should go ahead with a panel to probe into all allegations against him,” he said while addressing the media here.

He also denied that he had any fight with his guru, an ayurveda expert who is missing since 2007. As expected while he didn’t forget to lash out at the Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh for the recent comment that there is something wrong in the matter, saying that he has stooped too low, he also took on the Gandhi family describing it as a “murderers’ family”.

His remarks came in context of the Robert Vadra’s recent alleged misappropriation of land assets during which he said that Vadra, whose father’s death was in mysterious circumstances and even his brother had some injury mark around his neck, is lucky that he is still not in jail.