Congress mayoral candidate for Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) Suryakant Dhasmana is facing tough fight within his party because councillors are not publishing his photograph in their posters, banner or other campaigning material. If this continues, the situation may be tough for him and Congress as well. Although Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has categorically said that this local body polls would not be referendum for their Government.
Sources said that Congress councillors are making banners without having pictures of their mayor candidate Dhasmana. Sources further said that Dhasmana had sent flags to the councillors, but they are putting such flags at places other than the busy ones. It seems they have a perception that if they carry his picture, people may not vote him as well. In these circumstances, Dhasmana will have to clear the doubts of the candidates before the election; otherwise, the situation may be different from now.
By fielding Dhasmana, Congress has made election triangle between BSP candidate eunuch Rajni Rawat, Suryakant Dhasmana and BJP candidate Vinod Chamoli. Among these, Dhasmana will be new face in this election while both Rajni and Chamoli had fought last mayor election in 2008.
In which Chamoli had won and Rajni had achieved second position by procuring around 44,000 votes.
Talking to The Pioneer, Dhasmana, who faced a case about firing over Rajya Aandolankari during Uttarakhand agitation, said earlier court had given him clean chit now he is going in public court. Expressing hope he said that public will bless him to serve the Dehradun.
Although he has made several plan about how to change the face of Dehradun but he will have to clear the doubts. Political analysts say that Dhasmana, who was one of the authorities of Dehradun during Mulayam Singh regime while it was part of Uttar Pradesh and had received blot on his face during state agitation, has got an opportunity to show his charisma. Since inception of Uttarakhand, he had contested assembly election against the Congress candidate Harak Singh Rawat in lansdowne assembly constituency and become state head of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and later joined Congress in the presence of State PCC president Yashpal Arya. In 2008. he was made media in charge of Uttarakhand Congress and played crucial role in media management during general election-2009. Currently more than a dozen unions and associations are being patronized by him so party has shown faith on him that these association members would cast their vote in favour of Congress candidate.
On the other hand, BJP candidate Vinod Chamoli, who has been contesting election to defend his seat, is also facing rebels within the party. Sources said that while convening a meeting with party officials he keeps saying "I did it" in place of "we did it". If he continues to stand on 'I' then he may face inimical situation. "While Rajni Rawat, who had earned 44,000 votes, is making appeal to the voters that god has done injustice with me and even State Government had done discrimination with me which is why she had lost mayor election in 2008; so now it is your turn to do justice with me."