Manoj Rawat, the veteran journalist would be the Congress party candidate from the prestigious Kedarnath assembly constituency.
Kedarnath assembly seat assumes significance as the Congress government considers the success of reconstruction activities undertaken after the disaster of 2013 and resumption of Char Dham yatra as one of its major achievement. The sitting MlA of Kedarnath Shailarani Rawat had defected to the BJP along with nine other MlAs last year. Shailarani is now the candidate of the BJP from Kedarnath. Speculations were there that the congress could offer its ticket to BJP leader Asha Nautiyal who has risen in revolt, but Harish Rawat reposed his faith in Manoj Rawat.
Talking to The Pioneer, Rawat said that the development of the Kedarnath is on top of his agenda. “I am thankful that the Chief Minister Harish Rawat and Congress party has put their faith in me. The people of the area are fed up with the self aggrandizing politics of Shailarani and Asha Nautiyal and are eager for a change this time,’’ he said.
Manoj Rawat is a post graduate in Physics and law. Before joining journalism he was an active member of youth Congress and NSUI. He is also associated with mountaineering, trekking, Kayaking and Canoeing and Rafting associations. He was the convener of the recent 'Hito Kedar' expedition of mountaineers in which 300 trekkers reached Kedarnath by trekking from nine routes located in higher Himalayan ranges. The aim of the campaign was to introduce these treks to officials, media, general public and trekking guides so that these routes can be used as probable paths of rescue during disaster. The lack of knowledge about these routes resulted in loss of many lives during Kedarnath disaster.