Rebels file papers on last day of nominations
Mussoorie, April 12
On the last day of filing of nominations for the civic polls, two rebels from Congress and BJP submitted their nomination papers for the post of MC president in Mussoorie today.




Congress rebel Megh Singh Kandari with his supporters at a rally in Mussoorie on Friday.

Four Cong leaders rebel against ticket allotment to Dhasmana
Dehradun, April 12
Two disgruntled Congress leaders have filed nomination papers in protest against the allotment of the party ticket for the Mayor’s post of the prestigious Dehradun Municipal Corporation to Suryakant Dhasmana.

Dehradun, April 12
Candidates of the Congress and the BJP fighting for the post of Mayor arrived together in the District Magistrate's office to file nominations this afternoon today. Congress state president Yashpal Arya and MLA, Raipur, Umesh Sharma, accompanied Congress candidate for Mayor Surya Kant Dhasmana, along with a procession of supporters at the time of nominations. Arya expressed confidence in winning the Mayor seat this time. He said people of the city were unhappy and dissatisfied with the 'non-performance 'of BJP in the last five years.

On the issue of intra-party discontent over seat allocations, he said: “The is a disciplined party. Since the candidates for all seats have been finalised now, the party members would work in unison to ensure victory for all the candidates.”

Dhasmana thanked Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, Congress Party at the Centre as well as Congress MLAs of the state for supporting his candidature. He was confident of winning the election this time, saying: “The BJP made all tall announcements but delivered nothing on the ground. Not only this, a simple project of beautification of Clock Tower kept lingering for all these years.”

Alluding to Mayor and BJP candidate Vinod Chamoli, he said the BJP leader was always proud of having support of five MLAs but he never got along well with either the state government or with Congress government, just because of his 'misplaced arrogance.'

Reacting to the often-repeated statement of Vinod Chamoli where he talked of Mayor being a mere rubber stamp divested of any financial and executive powers, he said: '' “Until TN Seshan became Chairman of the Election Commission of India, this position was also considered toothless. Similarly, I am going to show how effective this position is by bringing in wholesome development in the city. For this I will take all the support from my government and do whatever is possible.”

On the other hand, BJP camp, too, exuded the same confidence. BJP state president Teerth Singh Rawat, who accompanied Vinod Chamoli with MLA, Mussoorie, Ganesh Joshi, said: "The people are angry with the Congress over corruption, inflation, poor redressal of their problems and insecure environment for women. Owing to these factors, the BJP is going to score over the Congress." Over the discontent brewing among various groups in the party over ticket allocation, he said: ''BJP is a large family where such things are bound to happen over the sensitive issue of ticket allocation. But now everything is settled.''

When Chamoli was asked about his fight with Dhasmana over the seat, he brushed aside the question, saying: “My fight is with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, not with Dhasmana.” He said he was happy that his party reposed faith in him once again after seeing his report card of the last five years. He said he was going to expose Congress for its 'corruption and methods to truncate the power of Mayor and Dehradun Municipal Corporation as a whole.' He said he would bring in more development in his second stint as Mayor.

Haridwar, April 12
The Congress and the BJP today announced their mayoral candidates for the civic bodies' elections. The Congress has named Mahant Rishiwaranand as its mayoral candidate while Manoj Garg is the BJP's candidate. Today was the last day for the submission of nomination papers.

Mahant Rishiwaranand, alias Sanjay Mahant, is quite close to Haridwar MP Harish Rawat. Harish Rawat has been operating his camp office from Sanjay Mahant’s ashram Chetan Jyoti, Bhoopatwala ,which also was his election office during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Mahant Rishiwaranand also has a political background as his father, Swami Bageshwaranand, was a Municipal Chairman of the Haridwar Municipal Committee.

Before heading to the election office, Mahant Rishiwaranand performed rituals at Brahamkund, Har-ki-Pauri.

Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) treasurer Braham Swaroop Brahamchari, bête noire of Harish Rawat, also congratulated Rishiwaranand before he went to the district election office to file his nominations. Ganga Sabha office-bearer Anshul Shri Kunj, OP Chauhan, city Congress chief and Dr Sanjay Paliwal were also present.

Talking to TNS, Dhirendra Pratap, spokesperson for the PCC, said there was no factionalism in the party and all were united.

Meanwhile, Manoj Garg thanked the party high command for reposing faith in his capabilities and naming him as mayoral candidate.

He also thanked party leaders and workers and expressed hope that he would live up to the expectations of the people and win the elections.

He said after coming to power, his top priority would be to restore the glory of Haridwar and ensure cleanliness and greenery in the city.

Pithoragarh, April 12
The BJP and the Congress is witnessing revolt against the official party candidates in the Kumaon region, as various rebel candidates filed their nomination papers, mostly for the posts of chairman of the municipal councils, today, sources said.

In Almora, seven candidates, including two rebels each from the BJP and the Congress, filed their nomination papers for the post of chairman of the Nagar Palika. “While Manoj Varma rebelled against the BJP, Sanjay Shah revolted against the Congress and they filed their nomination papers as Independent candidates,” said a source in Almora.

The Champawat Nagar Palika is set to have a four-cornered contest as seven candidates, including four heavyweights, have filed their nomination papers for the post of chairman. “Three candidates, namely Prakash Tiwari from the BJP, Tribhuwan Giri and Navin Karki as Independents, filed their nominations yesterday. Three candidates, including Congress rebel Ravindra Taragi, filed their nomination papers today. Congress candidate Sajjan Lala Varma had filed his papers on the first day for filing nominations,” said Dinesh Pandey, a journalist based at Champawat.

In Pithoragarh town, 65 candidates filed their nominations for the post of Nagar Palika members in 15 wards and 11 candidates filed their nominations for the post of chairman.

Eight, four and six candidates filed their nominations for the posts of chairman of the Didihat, Dharchula and Gangolihat urban civic bodies, respectively. “Congress workers at the district level are upset that the high command did not consider the list of candidates forwarded by them and gave ticket to the candidate recommended by the local party MLA,” said a Congress leader.

In Bageshwar town, five candidates, including two rebels each from the BJP and the congress, filed their nomination papers today.

Three candidates have filed their nominations for the post of chairperson of the newly constituted civic body at Kapkot. “Shama Shah, a Congress rebel, and Nisha Kannaujiya, a BJP rebel, filed their papers in Bageshwar toady,” said a source at Bageshwar.

In Nainital, 14 persons, including two Congress rebels Arvind Vyas and Subhash Kumar, filed their papers for the post of chairman of the Nagar Palika Parishad while 91 candidates filed their papers for the posts of ward member from all 13 wards of the urban civic body. “The candidates of the Congress, the BJP, the BSP and the UKD, besides 10 Independents filed their nominations,” said a source.

Haridwar, April 12
With Navratras having commenced , devotees from across the country are offering rituals at temples and worshipping deity Shailputri, an incarnation of Goddess Durga.

Since early morning devotees were seen thronging the Brahm Kund at Har-ki-Pauri and other Ganga ghats to take a holy dip in the Ganga and temples to offer prayers.

The pilgrims started arriving early in the morning at the Mata Mansa Devi shrines.

Similarly, a large number of devotees paid obeisance and offered prayers at Maya Devi Temple. Maya Devi is considered the deity of Haridwar and in Vedic texts the city is often referred to as Mayapuri.

Markets were abuzz with people shopping for the nine-day Navratra festival.

People flocked to the temples of Daksheshwar Mahadev at Kankhal, Sheetla Mata, Mata Vaishno Devi, Sureshewari Devi, Goddess Durga and other deities and ashrams to offer prayers and perform rituals. 

Haridwar, April 12
The district administration is on tenterhooks in view of terror threats and the challenge of managing a large number of devotees, who are expected to arrive here for a holy dip in the Ganga on the occasion of Baisakhi tomorrow. More than 15 lakh devotees had visited Haridwar on Baisakhi last year and this number is expected to rise this time.

The Superintendent of the Haridwar Railway Station had received a letter threatening to blow up the station. Besides, the threat of terror attacks had made the task of the district administration very tough this Baisakhi. Elaborate arrangements had been made to ensure that the devotees could take a holy dip in the Ganga without hassles.

A high-level police meeting was held at Town Hall today where SSP, Haridwar, Arun Mohan Joshi along with SP, City, Kiran Lal Shah briefed the mela police. The police is fully geared up to provide foolproof security during the Baisakhi mela. The SP, who has been made in charge of the mela police this year, started deploying police personnel today. He also roped in the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) to thwart any terror attack.

The entire mela area has been divided into 12 zones and 39 sectors and police officials of the rank of DSP and ADM-rank officials from the administration have been made their in charges.

The SSP told The Tribune that besides commandos, a dog squad, mounted police, water police and a bomb disposal squad had been deployed in the mela zone. Closed-circuit television cameras had been installed to keep a round-the-clock vigil at sensitive places like Brahm Kund at Har-ki-Pauri, Ganga ghats, important temples, the railway station, the bus station and other congested points.

“Mela police personnel have also been directed to be cordial with devotees and not to lose their temper or patience at any time as lakhs of devotees arrive within hours on the occasion of Baisakhi. We are fully prepared to ensure safety and convenience of devotees on Baisakhi and all adequate arrangements have been made in this regard,” said Joshi.

Police personnel from other districts of the state have also been requisitioned for security duty. Devotees from Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh are expected to visit the city tomorrow. 

Mussoorie, April 12
On the last day of filing of nominations for the civic polls, two rebels from Congress and BJP submitted their nomination papers for the post of MC president in Mussoorie today.

Asif Shiraj was another candidate who filed his nominations for the post of MC president along with five ward members here.

In total seven candidates filed the nomination papers today, of which four are for ward members and three for the post of president. With this the tally for the post of MC president has gone up to 11, while around 69 candidates are in the fray for the respective wards in Mussoorie.

The day was in the name of the young Turk, a Congress rebel Megh Singh Kandari, as he arrived to file the nomination papers accompanied with a large number of supporters here.

The supporters of Megh Singh Kandari, former City Youth Congress president, buoyed with the presence, took out a rally from Tehri Bus stand to Library Bazaar as a mark of show of strength to his detractors in the Congress Party.

Megh Singh Kandari, speaking to the media after filng the nomination papers, said that the presence of a large number of people in his support was indicative of the new surge in the politics of the town where the young Turks were ready to play a proactive role in the development of town.

On the other hand, when contacted the Congress Party leaders in the town said that the rebels would not be able to make a dent in the traditional Congress votes and Manmohan Singh Mall, the Congress presidential candidate, was assured of the victory in the civic polls.

Many former Youth Congress and NSUI officials such as Anuj Gupta, Gaurav Gupta, Amit, Khemi etc also extended their support to the rebel Congress candidate Megh Singh Kandari, which could affect the prospects of the Congress party in these elections.

Already Narendar Kumar, another rebel, is also in the fray for the post of MC president from Congress Party.

On the other hand,another rebel candidate from BJP Anil Godiyal also filed his nomination papers for the post of the MC president as an Independent on the occasion. When questioned by the media, Anil Godiyal said that he was not rebelling against the party but has filed his nomination papers as a dummy as a safeguard measure to counter the vicious move of the Opposition which was trying to cancel the nomination of the party candidate OP Uniyal on some flimsy pretext.

However, it is also known that Anil Godiyal had earlier staked claim to the party but was denied the ticket as party reposed its faith on sitting MC president OP Uniyal by giving him the party symbol.

The senior party leaders when contacted, saddened at the course of events unfolding here, have taken a serious note of the whole matter and are keeping a close watch on every move of the party workers by monitoring the situation closely.

Manoj Kumar, a BJP candidate, also filed his nomination papers as Independent from ward no 2, leaving the BJP MLA from Mussoorie in a fix. Ganesh Joshi, resident of the ward no 2, will not be able to vote for the party candidate as none is fighting on the party symbol.

Political analysts in the town are of the view that the Opposition party was fuelling infighting among BJP in order to gain upper hand in these elections.

The president of Mussoorie Women's Congress Geeta Kumain, angry at the refusal of ticket from Congress Party from ward No 7, also filed her nomination papers today.

Anuj Gupta, another Congress worker, also filed his nomination papers from Jharipani ward along with others today.

Other candidates to file their nomination papers were Bismillah Begum and Asma Parveen form ward no 4.

With so many rebel candidates in the fray from both BJP and Congress, the poll prospects of both parties are bound to be affected if these rebels do not take their names back on April 15.

Dehradun, April 12
Two disgruntled Congress leaders have filed nomination papers in protest against the allotment of the party ticket for the Mayor’s post of the prestigious Dehradun Municipal Corporation to Suryakant Dhasmana.

Former Mayor Manorama Sharma and former state Congress secretary Vishal Dobhal filed their nominations as Independent candidates today.

Manorama said she was still hopeful of getting the Congress symbol from the party high command and the filing of her nomination as an Independent candidate was part of the process. Some Congress workers staged a dharna at the party headquarters in Dehradun complaining that they had been ignored in the distribution of ticket for the MC election.

Another Congress rebel Tara Singh Nagpal not only filed his nomination as an Independent candidate for the post of councillor from the Chukkuwala ward but also resigned from the party. He said he had served the Congress for the past many decades but still he had been deprived of the ticket. Similarly, women Congress leader Deepa Chauhan also filed her nomination paper as an Independent candidate for the post of councillor.

Significantly, in charge of Congress affairs in Uttarakhand Chowdhary Birendra Singh had yesterday said no blood relation of senior leaders would be given the ticket. However, some Congress workers related to senior party leaders did manage to get the ticket. Many former councillors managed to get the ticket for their wives.

However, sources said the Congress high command may manage to persuade Manorama and Vishal to withdraw their nominations filed for the post of Mayor as Independents.