Kedar Rawat stuns Cong by joining BJP

Ajay Ramola

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 17

The BJP has fielded former Congress MLA Kedar Singh Rawat from Yamunotri, casting a shadow on the electoral fortunes of the Congress. The Congress is projecting incumbent Harish Rawat as its chief ministerial candidate for the Assembly elections scheduled for February 15.

Kedar Rawat was sure to get the Congress ticket from Yamunotri. His decision to join the BJP has jolted the Congress to the extent that it has been forced to rethink its poll strategy.

Kedar Rawat cited immense pressure from people and supporters as the reason for joining the BJP. The poll arithmetic in the state has altered drastically with Kedar Rawat joining the BJP. The BJP’s move, which is being considered a masterstroke, could also back fire as ticket aspirants in the party may contest the elections as Independent candidates, thus jeopardising Kedar Rawat’s victory prospects.

The political situation is so confusing at the moment and the clarity would emerge only after the filing of nominations for the seat.

However, it is clear that the BJP will win the Yamunotri seat for the first time if all its factions remain united. The speculation of Kedar Rawat joining the BJP is not new as he was ready to join the party a few months ago at the persuasion of Congress rebel Harak Singh Rawat and former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna but stopped on the assurance of the ticket by Chief Minister Harish Rawat and state Congress president Kishore Upadhyay.

He also attended the Parivartan rally organised by the Congress a month ago. This was a sort of assurance to the Congress that he was not leaving the party. The BJP announcing ticket to Kedar Rawat from Yamunotri has shocked the Congress and even his hardline supporters.

Kedar Rawat told The Tribune that his supporters, who were being insulted by the Congress leadership, pressured him to leave the party and he had to honour their supporters’ demand. Kishore Upadhyay and Harish Rawat had failed to address the Congress workers’ issues and under such public pressure, he had no option but to join the BJP. His sole aim was the development of the Yamunotri segment and that could be best done by joining the BJP, he said.

With Kedar Rawat contesting on the BJP ticket, the poll equations in the constituency have changed considerably. Uttarkashi Zila Panchayat vice-president Prakash Ramola has announced to contest the elections as an Independent candidate if the Congress denies him the ticket. Zila Panchayat member Sanjay Dobhal has also announced to contest the elections as an independent candidate from Yamunotri.

Kedar Rawat might be thinking that the road to the Assembly has become easier by joining the BJP but party leader Jagvir Bhandari has rushed to the Congress camp and is vying for the ticket, fueling prospects of a rebellion in the BJP and making the going tough for him.

• Prakash Ramola, vice-president of the Uttarkashi Zila Panchayat, has warned the Congress leadership that he will contest as an Independent in case he is denied the ticket.
• Jagvir Bhandari, a  BJP ticket aspirant  from Yamunotri who lost to Pritam Panwar in 2012 poll, is now trying for the Congress ticket after Kedar Singh Rawat was given the BJP ticket.
• Kedar Singh Rawat, BJP candidate from yamunotri, My supporters, who were being insulted by the Congress leadership, pressured me to leave the party and I had to honour their sentiments. Kishore Upadhyay and Harish Rawat have failed to address the Congress workers’ issues and under such pressure, I had no option but to join the BJP. My sole aim is the development of the Yamunotri segment and that can be best done by joining the BJP.