Kedarnath Bypoll: BJP, Congress Gear Up For Direct Contest Tomorrow

Dehrun: Kedarnath is all set to go to polls on Wednesday with BJP and Congress locked once again in a straight contest in assembly constituency where stakes are high for both parties. While BJP faces challenge of retaining seat, Congress is looking to ensure BJP's defeat in yet anor Hindutva seat after Brinath.

Campaigning for bypoll which drew to an end on Monday evening saw principal rivals BJP and Congress throwing all ir might into wooing voters.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Lok Sabha MP from Pauri Garhwal Anil Baluni and state BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt visited constituency several times over past fortnight to gar support for BJP nominee Asha Nautiyal, who is also state BJP Mahila Morcha president.

Apart from holding election meetings in constituency, Dhami held two bike rallies also to mobilise voters in favour of party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's association with Kedarnath and his direct involvement in reconstruction projects worth more than Rs 2,000 crore launched in Kedarpuri after he came to power at Centre has been one of BJP's major poll planks for bypoll necessitated by death of party MLA Shaila Rani Rawat's death in July this year.

Wherever BJP leers went for campaigning, y spoke of Modi's deep attachment with Kedarnath and priority accorded by him to reconstruction projects underway at Himalayan temple and surrounding areas.

"No prime minister before Modi visited Kedarnath. He has come here a many as seven times as PM. mega reconstruction projects in Kedarpuri were also launched after he took over as PM, " Dhami said at one of his election meetings in constituency.

Alongside that, party has also been highlighting introduction of a strict anti-conversion law, crackdown on land jih and passage of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as bold measures taken by state government to stop changing demography of hill state to woo voters. Meanwhile, Congress is also hopeful.

Buoyed by its retention of Brinath seat and winning Manglaur in July bypoll after severe thrashing by BJP in Lok Sabha polls in which it lost all five seats in state to saffron party, Congress is optimistic about wresting Kedarnath from BJP.

Who won how many times in Kedarnath?

Former chief minister Harish Rawat, PCC president Karan Mahara, his predecessor Ganesh Godiyal and leer of opposition in state assembly Yashpal Arya campaigned aggressively in constituency for party nominee Manoj Rawat, a journalist-turned-politician.

"It is an opportunity for people of constituency to elect a leer who can strongly stand in support of m and allay ir problems," former PCC chief Ganesh Godiyal who campaigned actively in constituency said.

Lack of development, BJP's alleged protection for killers of Ankita Bhandari, mismanagement of Chardham Yatra during July 31 disaster and state government's support to construction of a replica of Kedarnath in Delhi are some of issues Congress has raised to win voters.

Countering Congress' charge, Dhami said he never supported construction of a temple by that name in Delhi and subsequently me a law prohibiting formation of any committee or trust using name of Char Dham temples.

"I reach ground zero in case of every disaster to be amidst victims. Even during July 13 disaster, I reached victims immediately. More than 16 lakh pilgrims stranded at different places on way to Kedarnath and back were rescued safely, " Dhami told a poll rally recently.

"Development work done in Kedarnath over past 10 years has been exemplary and I am confident that people of Kedarghati will once again make lotus bloom in this by-election, putting ir stamp of approval on BJP government's works and policies," Dhami said.

Of five assembly elections held in Kedarnath so far, BJP has won thrice and Congress twice.

Why bypoll is taking place in Kedarnath assembly seat? 

seat fell vacant after death of sitting BJP MLA Shailarani Rawat in July this year. Both candidates, Nautiyal and Rawat, have represented Kedarnath assembly seat in past.

Nautiyal won it in 2002 and 2007 as a BJP candidate. Shaila Rani Rawat won it in 2012 on a Congress ticket. She contested seat as a BJP nominee in 2017 and lost to Congress' Manoj Rawat. However, she wrested seat from Rawat in 2022.

A total of 90,540 voters, including 45,775 women, in constituency are eligible to exercise ir franchise on Wednesday at 173 polling stations. result of by-election will be declared on November 23.