Several contenders, including former first mayor of Municipal Corporation of Dehradun, Manorma Dobriyal Sharma, including four candidates, withdrew their candidature for mayoral post of MCD in Dehradun on Monday.
Four out of the 14 contenders for mayoral post of MCD, Anil Sharma, Jai Prakash, Manorama Dobriyal Sharma and Vishal Dobhal withdrew their candidature. However, the withdrawal of the candidatures from Sharma and Dobhal will be beneficial for Congress candidate for the mayoral post, Suryakant Dhasmana, as these candidates are rebels of Congress party, who filed their nomination papers after they were denied tickets from the party.
After the withdrawal of the nomination papers by the independent candidates, 10 candidates are in the fray for the mayoral post of MCD. The first mayor of MCD Manorma Dobriyal Sharma along with the State Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat withdrew her candidature at collectorate campus in Dehradun on Monday and said that she is the active worker of the Congress party and decided to withdraw her candidature as veteran leaders had asked her to do so. It is also equally important to mention here is that the out of the 339 candidates who are in the fray for 60 wards of MCD, 44 candidates withdrew with candidatures. Those who withdrew their candidatures were Deepa Raj, Sita Thapa, CB Agarwal, Meena Goswami, Asha Bhatt, Sanjay Bhatt, Ram Bahadur Verma, Ranjeet Semwal, Jaipal, Surjeet Kaur, Parvati, Y Chowdhuyr etc.
Additionally, the BJP rebel Jeet Ram Bhatt also withdrew his candidature for Tehri municipal council and Gaurav Goyal for Municipal Corporation of Haridwar. However, the high voltage drama at State and city BJP office had stopped as contenders were convinced by the veteran party leaders to withdraw their candidatures. Since the number of rebels in the BJP is quite less in comparison to Congress party, the veteran leaders are hoping to emerge victorious in the local bodies election. Speaking to The Pioneer, Tirath Singh Rawat, State
BJP Chief said that the party has given tickets to only those candidates who are having clean image and can emerge victorious in the local bodies elections. He said that committee was formed for the selection of the candidates and the candidates were chosen after having dialogues with other party leaders including district presidents and in-charges of various wings of the party. He also cleared the strict disciplinary action would be surely taken against those candidates, who work against the policies of the party.