With election campaign for local civic body elections coming to an end on Friday, candidates accompanied by their supporters were seen busy in wooing the voters to seek their support.
The election campaign that got the momentum only after finalisation of nomination process on April 15 went off by and large peacefully.
However, controversial remarks made by State Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani Indira Haridayesh, as the BJP has alleged, to seek minority votes, attracted strong criticism from the Opposition party BJP.
Taking a serious note of it senior BJP leader and former vice-chairman of the State Minority Commission Mazhar Naeem Nawab, has threatened to take up the matter with the Election Commission. He also demanded resignation of the State Finance Minister in connection with this issue. Now it is to be seen whether the election commission takes any step in this case or not.
Meanwhile, Nidhimani Tripathi, District Election Officer (DEO), Nainital, has said that as the election campaign is over now , strict action will be taken as per the law against those candidates who are found campaigning after 5 pm on April 26.
At the same time the DEO also asked the officials concerned on election duties to ensure strict implementation of the model code of conduct and deal strictly with those who are found violating the model code of conduct.
Road shows, door to door and corner meetings were some of the main highlights of this election campaign. Even on last day of campaigning on Friday, candidates could be seen conducting public meetings road shows to name a few to reach out to the voters.
After conducting door to door meetings during morning hours in different parts of the city, BJP mayoral candidate Joginder Rautela, accompanied by his supporters also took out road shows in Haldwani's Jail Road in afternoon hours urging the voters to support him in the coming civic election on April 28.
Similarly, Congress candidate for Haldwani mayor seat Hemant Bagarwal also visited many parts of the city urging the people to extend their support to him.
Though State Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani assembly constituency Indira Haridayesh, extensively campaigned for Bagarwal, except Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna no other senior party leader visited this city to campaign in favour of party candidate Bagarwal. On the contrary, almost all the senior leaders including state BJP
president Tirtah Singh Rawat, former state BJP president Bishan Singh Chufal, former chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to name a few reached here to campaign for party candidate Joginder Rautela.