DEHRADUN (UTTARAKHAND): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to form the government again with a comfortable majority in Uttarakhand, crushing Congress’ dreams to make a comeback in the state.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, however, lost to Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri in Khatima assembly constituency.
As per trends of the counting of votes for the assembly elections, the BJP was leading on 46 seats, way ahead of the majority mark of 36 in the 70-member assembly constituency. Congress, which was hoping to snatch power from the saffron party, was leading on 19 seats.
Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was leading on a seat.
Former chief minister and veteran Congress leader Harish Rawat, who fought with the party leadership to project himself as the chief ministerial candidate, also lost from Lalkuan constituency in Nainital district.
As the head of the party’s campaign committee, Rawat led the party Congress campaign in the state.
In the run up to the assembly elections, Congress leaders had expressed confidence of returning to power on account of anti-incumbency. During the poll campaign, Congress constantly raised the issue of change of three chief ministers by BJP, alleging infighting and instability in the saffron camp while promising a stable government in the state.
To counter infightings within the party, the BJP had changed three chief ministers in the hilly state within a span of four months. Trivendra Singh Rawat, who ruled the state for about four year, was replaced by Tirath Singh Rawat in March last year. Before he could settle down, he was again asked by the party high command to vacate the top seat for Pushkar Singh Dhami in July.
The counting of votes for the recently held elections for the Uttarakhand Assembly commenced at 8 am on Thursday and the final results are expected to emerge by the end of the day.
Exit polls had predicted a tight race in Uttarakhand with many of the surveys giving an edge to the BJP over Congress.