As BJP senior leaders — including former Chief Ministers Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', who can motivate voters to vote for BJP during ongoing general election, are busy in their lok Sabha constituencies, other party candidates are riding on Modi wave to pull through lok Sabha eletions in their constituencies.
Besides, some State leaders including Ajay Bhatt, Bachi Singh Rawat and Trivendra Singh Rawat, whom they can rely, have been busy in Uttar Pradesh. Sources said that most of the candidates have sent their request for BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally but party high command has sent a list of star campaigners other than Modi.
Candidates from Garhwal and Kumaon division have been desperately asking party high command to send some star campaigners as they are getting stiff competition from their Opposition party candidate. Among them, Ajay Tamta, who is contesting election against Congress candidate Pradeep Tamta, who has been fighting for second consecutive term from Almora lok Sabha constituency and getting full support of incumbent Chief Minister Harish Rawat, has desperately sought for a star campaigner.
Tehri lok Sabha candidate Mala Rajya lakshmi Shah has been contesting election against Congress candidate and former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna’s son Saket Bahuguna but not getting support of star campaigner so far.
Although BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is going to address public meeting in Herbatpur, which is part of Tehri constituency, on April 29. With this declaration Saket, who had lost Tehri bypoll with Mala Rajya lakshmi Shah in 2012 and was confident that this time he would take his revenge, seems restless and looking for an option to counter it.
Dr Nishank, who is contesting election against Congress candidate Renuka Rawat from Haridwar lok Sabha constituency, is stuck in a whirlpool and so is unable to spare time for others. Instead of helping others he himself is seeking star campaigners especially Modi but party high command is yet to finalise date for Haridwar.
Sources said that State BJP had requested NaMo’s four public meetings including Roorkee (Haridwar), Almora (Almora), Rudrapur (Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar) and Srinagar (Garhwal) but NaMo has confirmed his public meeting in Herbertpur on April 29 so far.
Gen Khanduri, who is contesting election against State Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat from Garhwal seat, is giving full time in his constituency. Sources said that Gen Khanduri, who had lost Assembly election from Kotdwar with Congress candidate Surendra Singh Negi during Assembly elections-2012, has been concentrating on Garhwal because he does not want to leave any stone unturned. Although party had sent him to Chandigarh for canvassing but he is busy in his constituency so he is not sparing time to canvass in other lok Sabha constituency for party candidate.
Same is the situation with Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who is contesting lok Sabha election against two time Congress MP KC Singh Baba from Nainital-Udhamsinghnagar lok Sabha constituency, is getting stiff competition from the Opposition.
There is a proverb that Bhagatda has visited each village of Kumaon division on foot and obtained good knowledge about the topography but this time he is sparing less time in canvassing outside his constituency.
Besides it three senior leaders including leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt, ex Cabinet Minister Bachi Singh Rawat and BJP national secretary Trivendra Singh Rawat have been spending more time in UP especially in lucknow. Interestingly two candidates ie Mala Rajya laxmi Shah and BJP MlA Ajay Tamta have been contesting against their opponent for the second consecutive time. Ajay Tamta had fought general election-2009 against Pradeep Tamta but lost while Mala Rajya laxmi had fought Tehri bypoll against Saket Bahuguna and won in Tehri bypoll-2012 and thus trying to retain Tehri.