In a jolt to the ruling Congress ahead of the election, Subodh Rakesh, brother of the former Cabinet Minister Surendra Rakesh who died last year, and brother–in-law of the Bhagwanpur MlA Mamta Rakesh joined the BJP along with a large number of his supporters on Thursday. He was also a member of Dehradun district panchayat. Many senior BJP leaders, including the State BJP president Ajay Bhatt, were present when the Congress leader joined the saffron party at the latter’s State office .
The move might hurt the Chief Minister Harish Rawat who had given the leader cabinet rank. Observers say that given Thursday’s development, the contest for the prestigious Bhagwanpur Assembly seat would turn interesting.
“It would perhaps be a straight fight between Mamta Rakesh and her brother–in- law Subodh Rakesh with prospects equally poised between them,” an observer said.
Bhatt alleged that the CM Harish Rawat had unleashed the district administrative officer to locate Subodh Rakesh in order to preempt him from joining BJP. “This stands contrary to the spirit of democracy as everybody is free to join another party, leaving the one he is in. Using the Government machinery for such a sinister purpose makes it clear that the CM is scared,” he said.
Notably, following the demise of Surendra Rakesh, his brother Subodh had been eying the Bhagawanpur Assembly seat. But things turned otherwise as his widow showed her keenness to contest from the seat vacated by her husband’s death. later, she was given the Congress ticket for the by-election at the behest of the Chief Minister.
Previously, the Bhagwanpur Assembly seat was deemed as a redoubt of BSP. Surendra won the seat for three consecutive terms as BSP candidate, but the Congress managed to snatch the seat from BSP by fielding the late minister’s widow. Mamta won, riding the crest of the sympathy wave as a Congress candidate.
The BJP insiders said that Haridwar MP and former CM Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has proved instrumental in winning Subodh over to the BJP.