The winning party in Gangotri, Ramnagar & Badrinath forms the govt while the winner from Ranikhet sits in opposition
Tuesday, 15 February 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
With the fate of the candidates in all 70 assembly constituencies sealed in the EVMs the people of Uttarakhand would now have to wait till March 10 for the results. Apart from deciding the shape of the new government in the state, the results would also either re-enforce or shatter some of the myths associated with the elections.
One of the interesting facts about the elections is that there are three such assembly constituencies in the state where the party to which the winning candidate belongs, forms the government. These seats are Gangotri, Ramnagar and Badrinath assembly constituencies. Similarly the winner from the Ranikhet seat always finds a place in the opposition benches.
In Gangotri, Vijaypal Sajwan of Congress won in the year 2002 defeating Kamla Ram Nautiyal of CPI and a Congress government was formed in the state. In the elections of 2007, Gopal Singh Rawat of BJP defeated Vijay Pal Sajwan of Congress which paved the way for formation of a BJP government in the state. Things reversed in the year 2012 when Vijay Pal Sajwan regained this seat from Gopal Singh Rawat and Congress government was formed in the state. In the year 2017, Gopal Singh Rawat of BJP defeated his rival Sajwan and a BJP government was formed in the state.
A similar situation exists in Badrinath assembly constituency where Congress candidate Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri won in 2002 while in the year 2007 Kedar Singh Fonia of BJP emerged victorious. The Congress formed government in 2002 and BJP in 2007. In 2012, Rajendra Singh Bhandari of Congress won from the seat and his party formed the government but in the year 2017 Mahendra Bhatt of BJP defeated Bhandari and BJP swept to power in the state. In Ramagar assembly constituency Yogembar Singh Rawat of Congress emerged victorious in 2002 and his party formed government in the state while in 2007 Diwan Singh Bisht of BJP wrested the seat from Congress and a BJP government was formed. In 2012 Amrita Rawat of Congress won from here while in 2017 BJP’s Diwan Singh tasted victory.
Interestingly one witnesses an entirely different scenario in Ranikhet assembly constituency. In the election of 2002 Ajay Bhatt of BJP won from here but a Congress government was formed in the state. In 2007 Karan Mahra of Congress defeated Bhatt only to find a BJP government in the state. Similarly in the year 2012, Ajay Bhatt of BJP and in 2017 Karan Mahra of Congress won the seat but a Congress government was formed in 2012 and BJP government in 2017 in the state.
This time veteran Congress leader Vijay Pal Sajwan is again in fray in Gangotri. Here he is being challenged by Suresh Chauhan of BJP and Colonel ( Retd) Ajay Kothiyal of AAP. In Badrinath Mahendra Bhatt of BJP and Rajendra Bhandari of Congress are again in the fray while in Ramnagar, the Congress party has fielded Mahendra Singh Pal while Diwan Singh Bisht of BJP is again in the field. In Ranikhet, the Congress has fielded sitting MLA Karan Mahra while BJP has given its ticket to Pramod Nainwal.
