Apart from the state Congress chief Pritam Singh, the prestige of many prominent leaders is at stake in the upcoming urban local body elections. Out of the 84 ULBs where elections are slated on November 18, the results of seven municipal corporations spread across the state are crucial for both the Congress and the BJP. The political observers are of the view that the poll outcome of the municipal corporations would have its bearing on the high-stake Lok Sabha elections slated next year. It would not just indicate the way the wind is blowing but it would also help the party which would have a greater number of municipal corporations in its kitty to enjoy a natural advantage over the other.
In terms of the number of the voters, the municipal corporation of Dehradun (MCD) is the biggest municipal corporation in the state. The contest here would be keenly watched. For the state Congress chief Pritam Singh, the outcome of the mayoral poll here is of immense importance, given the fact that he played the key role in selecting the candidates. Congress insiders say that the battle-hardened Congress veteran and former minister Dinesh Agarwal has been persuaded to throw down the gauntlet to the BJP’s Sunil Uniyal ‘Gama’ as part of the poll strategy framed by Singh. In case Agarwal loses the mayoral poll it would mean that he would sink into political oblivion as it would be the second defeat after his losing the Assembly election from Dharampur constituency last year. Singh has high stake in the outcome of the ULB poll In Rishikesh too. He has played a gamble by fielding Laxmi Sajwan who switched to Congress from BJP at the last minute braving the chagrin of a section of the local party leaders.
Similarly, the prestige of a state Congress stalwart Indira Hridayesh who is also the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly hinges on the outcome of the ULB poll in Haldwani. This is doubly so as the redoubtable leader has fielded her young son Sumit Hridayesh in the mayoral fray. Aware of the stakes involved in the contest, she is now pulling out all the stops to ensure his victory. Any adverse outcome might tear into her political stature in the state politics. “She cannot afford to lose the poll as the loss would make it difficult for her to keep her stranglehold on the state Congress affairs and it is particularly so as the general election is drawing near,” said a political commentator.
The election of Kotdwar municipal corporation has assumed the contour of a fierce ego fight between the former minister and senior Congress leader Surendra Singh Negi and his bête noire, Lansdowne MLA Dilip Rawat. The wives of these leaders are locked in a bitter battle in Kotdwar. It is worth mentioning here that apart from being wife of Dilip Rawat, Neetu Rawat is daughter- in- law of late Bharat Singh Rawat who fought many electoral battles with Surendra Singh Negi. The veteran Congress leader is expected to go the whole hog to snatch away a victory for his wife by way of taking a sweet revenge of his electoral defeat during the 2017 Assembly polls.
In Kashipur municipal corporation, Congress has fielded candidate who is said to be protégé of the former MP and the Congress veteran K C Singh Bawa.