HARISH RAWAT from Haridwar and YASHPAL ARYA from Nainital , strong probables

There are reports from reliable sources that the much awaited candidature of senior Congress leader and former CM Harish Rawat has been finalised from Haridwar with reluctant Rawat finally agreeing to the top Congress leadership, fearing that if he won’t contest, the ticket may go to someone else as the High Command is not agreeing for his son’s candidatire. The candidature of the leader of the opposition Yashpal Arya has also been announced from Nainital – Udham Singh Nagar constituency. The official declaration of the list is just a formality expected tonight or tomorrow. However, there are also reports that Harish Rawat is still reluctant and stuck on his demand of Congress ticket for his son.

Both the senior leaders of Uttarakhand have been asked to start their campaigning etc but depends whether they’ll still agree and abide. The name of the Orissa Congress observer and tainted leader is also cropping up as another alternative , though no for sure. Dr Harak Singh Rawat had earlier expressed his desire to contest from GARHWAL or Haridwar. However, with ED n CBI probe behind him will the Congress high command take a risk on him is anyone’s guess.

Kindly recall that the high command had since beginning been asking Harish Rawat and Yashpal Arya to contest from Haridwar and Almora , but Yashpal Arya and Harish Rawat both had refused to contest. Harish Rawat gave deteriorating health and age factor as the reason behind his non contesting from Haridwar whereas Yashpal Arya wanted to campaign rather than become a candidate. However, he was interested to contest from Nainital, the wish now fulfilled.

Harish Rawat wanted the ticket for his son Virendra Singh who had been the Congress chief earlier but the top Congress leadership refused as his son wasn’t that popular and not too effective. Rawat actually wanted his son to carry on his political legacy but his wish couldn’t materialise.

Moreover Rawat’s daughter is already an MLA from Haridwar (Rural) . The leadership said at the most they can do is to give ticket to his daughter who is a sitting MLA but she refused on the grounds of personal compulsions reveal sources.

Other Uttarakhand Congress leaders like Pritam Singh , 8 time MLA from Chakrata had refused to contest. In 2019 he had contested against BJP’s Maharani RajyaLakshmi but had lost badly.

The main reason for majority of Congress leaders of Uttarakhand not agreeing to contest is that they are apprehensive of losing elections thinking that after the construction of Ram Temple, UCC implementation and due to Modi charisma still intact the electorates of Uttarakhand, Devbhoomi are completely polarised and are voting for BJP enmasse.

Now Harish Rawat will fight against his rival Trivendra Rawat of BJP and Yashpal Arya against the former union state minister Ajay Bhatt who is also the sitting MP who defeated Harish Rawat in 2019 by over three lakh votes. Since the tickets of BJP MPs were declared earlier, they have already campaigned in majority of the constituency , especially those candidates whose ticket was finalised about a week before viz Ajay Bhatt, Ajay Tamta and Rajya Lakhmi from Nainital, Almora and Tehri repeating the sitting MPs.

Meanwhile, while the third list is still under hold the Congress held its Working Committee meeting today to thoroughly deliberate on the Congress election menifesto. The Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote on social media platform X :

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) deliberated thoroughly on the Congress Manifesto, today. The 5 pillars of #BharatJodoNyayYatra – Kisan Nyay, Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay have 5 guarantees each. Right from 1926, Congress Party’s Manifesto has been regarded as a “document of trust and commitment” The country is fervently demanding a change. The guarantees currently being touted by the Modi Govt would have the same fate as that of BJP’s “India Shining” slogan of 2004. All of us have a responsibility to ensure that our Manifesto gets the widest publicity in different states and our commitment is taken to every household across the country and people at large.

According to the political analysts if Harish Rawat contests from Haridwar he will give a strong fight to the BJP candidate Trivendra Singh Rawat, the former CM as Rawat is very popular in this holy town among farmers, n local populace having participated extensively in the previous election campaign in 2022 and in various protest demonstrations for the mill workers and peasants including showing solidarity with the minorities who are believed to be in large number in lakhs with her daughter winning the Haridwar rural seat when BJP won hands down in Uttarakhand. Dr.Harak Singh though a strong contender can’t prove succesful as he had cases of ED and CBI against him which may negatively impact his chances as well as chances of other Congress candidates who are already on the negative side.