Former MLA Manoj Rawat declared Congress candidate from Kedarnath by election seat
SUNIL NEGI
The Congress president has nominated the former lawmaker from Kedarnath constituency as the official party candidate from Kedarnath assembly seats which was vacant after the sad demise of the BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat suffering from serious ailment. The BJP came date has not been announced till yet. In a Congress press release issued it is said that the Congress president Shri Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the candidature of Shri Manoj Rawat as the Congress candidate for the ensuing by election to the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly from the 7 Kedarnath constituency. The press release was signed by the AICC general secretary organisation K C.Venugopal. After the announcement the candidature an important meeting was held at the Dehradun Congress office attended by state president Karan Mahara, incharge of the Kedarnath assembly election nominated by Kumari Shailja – Ganesh Godiyal, Dr. Harak Singh Rawat, former MP Pradeep Tamta, Yashpal Arya, leader of the opposition, Co incharge and deputy leader of opposition who had defeated Pushkar Singh Dhami Bhuvan Kapri, Missouri former MLA Jot Singh Gunsola and several other leaders. However, the two other important leaders of state Congress running their separate factions former CM Harish Rawat and Eight term MLA from Chakrata and former state chief n opposition leaders Pritam Singh were conspicuous by their absence. The meeting which was convened in connection with the Kedarnath by poll and its preparation decided to work unitedly and give up their differences as Kumari Shelja the central observer has strictly in a Delhi meeting convened earlier had warned all the leaders to maintain discipline and unity instead of making the organisation a case of ridicule in the public. However, sources reveal that despite these so called promises if giving up differences state Congress Uttarakhand has still on date four to five factions and while addressing the media Ganesh Godiyal has catagorically said that those who have objection to my submitting the report to Central observer Kumari Shelja should understand that I did it so because I am answerable to her who appointed me as the chief observer . He was referring to the objection of state Congress president Karan Mahara stating further that if he said so and issued a press release he was absolutely wrong as I have submitted the report of Kedarnath Assembly to Congress leader not to the BJP leader. Then why so much of fuss. On the question as to why Dr.Harak Singh Rawat who was one of the strong contender from this seat but was kept out , Ganesh Godiyal said his name was very much discussed in the meeting but was rejected as only one person could get the ticket. He appeal to all Congressman to work unitedly and defeat the BJP.
It may recalled that in the recently held Badrinath by election the Congress party candidate had won defeating the sitting BJP MLA Mr. Bhandari who had defected to BJP.
The present candidate Manoj Rawat is a former MLA from Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, who served from 2017 to 2022.
Rawat has a strong background in journalism, which has likely helped him in his political career. Before losing the 2022 election to Shaila Rani Rawat of the BJP, he won the 2017 election with a 25.06% vote share ¹.
It’s worth noting that Rawat was one of 13 leaders who staked claim for the Congress party ticket for the Kedarnath Assembly by-election.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of Kedarnath by-election, a period of wrangling continues in the Congress. Tension increased several times in the Coordination Committee meeting held in Dehradun on 26 October.
According to sources, the situation became so bad that a senior office bearer even threatened to resign. After a long debate the matter was somehow resolved.
