Renuka Rawat, the Congress candidate from Haridwar Parliamentary constituency and wife of Chief Minister and sitting MP from Haridwar, Harish Rawat, filed her nomination paper on Tuesday.
In what is being seen as a show of strength and unity, CM Harish Rawat, Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee chief Yashpal Arya, ex-CM Vijay Bahuguna, Cabinet Minister Indira Hridayesh, former Garhwal MP lt Gen (retd) TPS Rawat, MlA Pranav Singh ‘Champion’ and eunuch social worker Rajni Rawat, who recently rejoined the Congress, were also present at the public rally addressed by the Congress candidate at Pantdeep Mela ground before she filed her nomination papers.
Addressing the party workers and members of the public, the CM Harish Rawat expressed his gratitude to them for turning out in large numbers on the occasion. He said that the turnout hints towards a record victory for the Congress candidate from Haridwar lok Sabha constituency for the second time running.
Addressing the public gathering, Renuka Rawat recalled the various developmental works facilitated by her husband and sitting MP from Haridwar, Harish Rawat and elicited votes from the public. later, talking to the media, she averred that while campaigning in the Haridwar constituency in the past five days, she had witnessed considerable enthusiasm not only among Congress party members but also among the general public. She expressed confidence that the voters here will exercise their franchise in her favour while adding that there was a wave in support of the Congress across the State. Ex-CM Vijay Bahuguna and other party leaders also addressed the gathering on the occasion.
later, while filing her nomination at the district election office in Roshanabad, she was accompanied by the Khanpur MlA Pranav Singh ‘Champion’ who had not only considered his wife as a contender for the party ticket from Haridwar constituency in the past, but was also one of the strongest critics of Harish Rawat when the latter was the Union minister for Water Resources.