A day after the Election Commission announced the date of the state Assembly election, an influential BJP leader, Om Prakash Jamdagni, who is also the co –incharge of the state party media, has thrown his hat in the ring for the prestigious Haridwar Nagar Assembly seat being presently held by the three-time MlA Madan Kaushik. He staked his claim on the basis of the service he rendered to the party as well as the city for the past many years. However, the party insiders aver that the former chief minister and BJP MP from Haridwar, Ramesh Pokhariyal 'Nishank' has prodded Jamdagni to stake his claim to the seat, deemed a safe one for the party .
Addressing a Press conference on Thursday, Jamadagni said, “I have worked hard to execute the party’s policies and served the people of the city for so many years. Now, I think that it would not be wrong for me to request the party’s national leadership to consider my name for the Haridwar Nagar seat. I am sure, they would consider my request.”
Asked whether he had been encouraged by somebody to lay claim for the seat, he denied, saying that he was doing it on his own. “The sitting MlA Madan Kaushik’s stature is tall and he is capable of winning any seat from anywhere in the state. As far as I am concerned, I have contributed my bit for the people of Haridwar. Besides, I have a good image among the people. This is why I am laying my claim for the seat,” he said.