The victory of large number of independent candidates in the just concluded cantonment board election has once again proved that the electorate gives priority to the local issues and image of the candidates over the national parties.
In the cantonment board elections of Dehradun the BJP was able to win in only two wards in both Garhi and Clement town. The BJP had officially declared its candidates for these elections as it was hoping that it be able to form its board in both these cantonments. The congress on the other hand had not officially declared its candidates but supported some independent candidates. The results show that congress supported independents were able to win in four wards out of seven in the Clement town cantonment which catapults it in a position to form its board.
The BJP incidentally was in power in last board of Clement town. The BJP leader and former Vice President of Clement town board Bhupendra Singh Kandari told The Pioneer that the party was not able to get the votes in the army area.
He claimed that army was annoyed by many developmental activities taken up by the cantonment board and they voted against the BJP candidates. Kandari however claimed that the party would be able to form its board in the Garhi cantonment as it has support of independent candidates. The claim of good work by the board of party was however refuted by Meena Rawat a resident of Clement town area. She said that the party paid price for its inaction to address the problems of the common people.
In Garhi the BJP is claiming that it has support of independents, Vinod Panwar and Megha Bhatt. The Congress was in power in the last cantonment board here but this time it appears that BJP would be able to form the board if it is able to persuade its rebel workers who managed to get elected as independents.