The Harish Rawat-led Congress Government is basking is glory of a spectacular performance in the Panchayat elections as it won 9 out of 12 positions of President District Panchayat but it is equally true that the Congress party was always apprehensive about its performance in these polls. The party successfully tried to defer these elections twice and did not declare its official list of candidates as it was not confident of a good show.
The elections for three tier Panchayati raj bodies in 12 districts of Uttarakhand barring Haridwar were scheduled in September 2013 but the Congress government fearing a dismal performance deferred the elections for six months on the plea that the elections would affect the disaster relief works.
The term of the Panchayat bodies ended on September 30, 2013 and the State Government appointed administrators in these bodies for day to day activities of the panchayats. The elections were then scheduled in the month of March and the election commission even officially declared March 21 and March 24 as the election dates but the elections were stayed by the High Court on the petition of an Almora-based village society.
There was a general perception in the political circles that Harish Rawat did not wanted to conduct the Panchayat elections before general elections as in his opinion a bad performance in these elections would affect the morale of party workers in the crucial lok Sabha elections.The main Opposition party, BJP also alleged at that time that Rawat is running away from the Panchayat elections due to fear of a debacle.The State Government was literally forced the conduct the Panchayat elections as Supreme Court asked the state government to tell it the dates on which it intend to hold these elections. The State Government even submitted an affidavit in the SC mentioning the dates of elections.
The elections were eventually held on June 18, 21 and 24, the Congress party depressed by its debacle in the lok Sabha elections did not declare official party candidates for the positions of member Block and district Panchayat. The BJP on the other hand officially declared its list of candidates for these positions.
The wins in the assembly by elections of Doiwala, Someshwar and Dharchula emboldened the Congress party and it made elaborate plans to capture the important positions of Block Pramukhs and District President. The party instructed the senior leaders to take charge in their respective districts to ensure victory for the candidates supported by it.
This strategy coupled with internal rifts in the BJP paved the way for an excellent performance of party in the indirect elections for the position of Block Pramukhs and District Panchayat President.
The party was able to wrest more than 65 positions of Block Pramukhs out of total 89 while in the elections of District Panchayat President its candidates were able to win 9 out of 12 positions.