The election fever seems to have heated up the usually cool environment in Kedarnath Assembly constituency. The election here is being seen as a referendum on success of restoration and rehabilitation activities undertaken by the Congress Government in the aftermath of the 2013 disaster and the appeal of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on voters.
The sitting MlA from the party Shailarani Rawat was one of the rebel MlAs who joined BJP in the previous year.
The BJP rewarded her with party ticket ignoring the strong claim from the former MlA Asha Nautiyal in the process.
Nautiyal revolted on this decision and is in fray as an independent candidate. The Congress has taken a gamble here by fielding journalist turned politician Manoj Rawat from the constituency. Kuldeep Rawat an independent is also in fray and with his resources is doing his best to convert the contest into a four cornered one.
In the first assembly elections of the state held in 2002, Asha Nautiyal of BJP defeated her nearest rival Shaila Rani Rawat of Congress by a margin of 3465 votes. In the next assembly elections (2007) Nautiyal scored her second consecutive victory from the area when she defeated Kunwar Singh Negi of Congress by a margin of 2979 votes. In the elections of 2012 Shaila Rani emerged victorious as the Congress candidate when she defeated Nautiyal from this seat.
This time, in the initial phase of electioneering BJP candidate Shaila Rani faced problems in explaining the reasons for her defection from Congress and her position was further threatened by mutiny of many local BJP workers who are openly supporting independent candidate Asha Nautiyal. Success of Narendra Modi’s rally and relentless campaign has now put Shaila Rani in contention. Similarly the Congress candidate Manoj Rawat also faced problems initially as he was dubbed a newcomer to the area. However the Congress workers are now rallying behind him. Manoj is cashing on his clean image and works undertaken by Congress-led government to sail through.
Independent candidate Asha Nautiyal also enjoys a good reputation in the area. Her supporters are banking on the expected division of Rajput votes among three Rawats- Shaila Rani, Manoj and Kuldeep- to benefit Nautiyal.
The pride of Chief Minister Harish Rawat is also on stake in the area as he always makes a point that his government has done major restoration work in Kedarnath devastated by deluge. The government claims that more than 15 lakh people undertook Char Dham Yatra in 2016.
Another independent candidate Kuldeep Rawat is active in the area from last three years. In mobilizing resources Kuldeep is at par with three other candidates.
The political pundits are expecting a keen four cornered contest in Kedarnath, the abode of lord Shiva.