Congress and BJP have been sailing in the same boat because the candidates of both parties are facing stiff challenge from rebels within the party. If they fail to address the issue then the results for the Assembly bypolls for three constituencies, which are scheduled for July 21, would be astonishing. Sources said that BJP candidate especially BJP’s national secretary Trivendra Singh Rawat, who is contesting the by-election from Doiwala, has been receiving stiff challenge because if he wins then he would be chief ministerial candidate in case the Congress led State Government is toppled in the future.
From this perspective, few leaders who are not happy with him may canvass against him during the campaign. In this bypoll whosoever manages to placate their rebel will be the winner of the Doiwala seat. Even the Congress workers are not happy with the Rekha Arya, who joined Congress after quitting BJP and is contesting election from Someshar, has been receiving a tough fight from within and BJP candidate BD Joshi, who has contesting against CM Harish Rawat, is getting support of Congress leaders especially who have been annoyed with ex MlA Harish Dhami.
To avoid such situation and show solidarity among the BJP, party high command had categorically instructed its senior leader to share the dais with the candidates while filing the nominations. In this process two former Chief Ministers, Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and several MlAs were seen sharing the dais with Trivendra Singh Rawat before filing nomination for Doiwala Assembly seat. Even the leaders who were seeking ticket from Doiwala, including Bisan Singh Bora, Jitendra Negi, Ruchi Bhatt and Subhash Berthwal were instructed to be introduced in the nomination papers of Trivendra. The party high command is trying to depict a picture of unity, but party rebels have made candidates tizzy. Even senior leaders were seen claiming that the CM has decided to contest from Dharchula despite knowing that Doiwala was vacated by the Dr Nishank after becoming MP in general election 2014. Although no senior leaders were seen canvassing for their candidate for Doiwala Assembly bypoll.
Congress candidate Heera Singh Bisht, who has been contesting election from Doiwala seat, has been facing severe fight from local leader SP Singh. It would be pertinent to mention here that due to SP Singh, who had contested from Doiwala seat and had managed to procure around 11,000 votes during Assembly election, Congress candidate Heera Singh Bisht had lost the election with BJP candidate Dr Nishank. Now again he has been receiving threat from SP Singh. Although State PCC president Kishore Upadhyaya along with Indira Hridayesh and Pritam Singh managed to convince him, he decided not to contest in bypoll.