After the General elections, the political parties of the State are now bracing themselves up for the panchayat polls which would be held in all the districts of Uttarakhand, barring Haridwar, next month. These polls would be crucial for both the BJP and the Congress as a buoyant BJP is hoping that the Modi wave will sweep them to victory in these elections also while a desperate Congress is trying hard to salvage some reputation which was hit hard by loss of all the five lok Sabha seats in the recent general elections.
The panchayat elections in all the districts of the State barring Haridwar are scheduled on June 18, 21 and 24 and the State Election Commission would issue notification for these elections on May 27.The term of the panchayats in the State ended on September 29 last year but instead of going for polls the State Government opted to appoint administrators in them for a period of six months. The State Government intended to conduct these elections after the lok Sabha elections and was successful in its effort. The above mentioned dates of the panchayat elections were given by the State Government in an affidavit in the Supreme Court.
Tough the State Election Commission do not allot symbols of any recognised political parties – as the elections are not fought on party lines- to the candidates, the political parties take them very seriously as they ask their workers to throw their hats in these elections and grab the key positions in the three tier panchayati Raj system.
The BJP which is riding on the back of Modi wave is very confident of sweeping these elections. On Sunday the leader of Opposition in the State assembly Ajay Bhat said that BJP would sweep these elections too as Modi wave is blowing in the State, terming the Congress as a sinking ship he added that no one would want to board it.
The Congress is in damage control mode and the Chief Minister Harish Rawat do not want to further damage his reputation which is already battered by sound drubbing the party got in the Parliamentary elections. Rawat had already convened the meeting of party workers from all parts of the State and asked them to put a united fight in the panchayat polls, he assured the workers that ministers of his cabinet would be there in field to help them. Rawat cabinet has taken a slew of measures in its recent meeting which are clearly aimed at wooing the electorate for the panchayat elections. The State Government’s decision to hold assembly session for three days at Gairsain is also aimed to take political mileage for these elections.
A total of 46,91,003 voters would exercise their franchise in the panchayat elections out which 23,13,900 are females and 23,77,103 are male voters. These voters would vote to elect 7,666 Village Pradhans, 49,444 Gram panchayat members. They will also vote to elect 3,065 Block panchayat members and 391 District panchayat members. The elected Block panchayat members would then elect 89 Block Pramukhs, 89 Senior Deputy Block Pramukhs, and 89 Junior Deputy Block Pramukhs. The District panchayat members would elect 12 president District panchayat and 12 vice president District panchayats.