On reaching Haridwar from Delhi a day ago, Congress leader and head of Jairam Ashram Brahm Swaroop Bhrahmchari was given a warm welcome by his supporters at various parts of the city. He had claimed that the Congress high command had finalised his ticket from Haridwar urban seat which was validated with him being listed by the party as its candidate from the said constituency on Sunday. Meanwhile the supporters of another Congress leader Satpal Brahmchari showed their resentment by protesting against Brahmaswaroop in his own Ashram and at major road crossings. The supporters of the two Congress leaders appeared to be at loggerheads following the declaration of the Congress’ candidates list.
The series of ritual worship by Brahmswaroop at Har Ki Pauri and protest by supporters of Satpal Brahmchari continued on Sunday. A group of supporters gathered in Radhey Shayam Dham opposite of Jai Ram ashram of Brahmswaroop Brahmchari and hailed Satpal Brahmchari as the worthy Congress candidate.
A high voltage drama was also staged by the supporters of Satpal Brahmchari -- who is also former Nagar Palika chairman -- at Dudhadhari Chowk on the national highway and inside ashram of Brahmswaroop Brahmchari. They also raised slogans against the Chief Minister Harish Rawat saying “Harish Rawat hosh mein aao. Madan Kaushik se setting nahin chalegi.” The round of meetings by Satpal Brahmchari and his supporters is on ever since Brahmswaroop has claimed his finalisation of ticket from Haridwar Nagar seat. One of the supporters of Satpal Brahmchari, Mohan Arora said, “The first claimant of Nagar seat was Satpal Brahmchari and denying him ticket while allotting it to Brahmswaroop, the party high command has insulted him.” It is also learnt that the party candidate Brahmswaroop had also gone to Satpal’s ashram trying to pacify him but the miffed politician reverted that it was difficult to calm down his angry supporters. Satpal Bramchari called Brahmswaroop a “deceiver of highest degree”. He said "I myself, Sanjay Paliwal and Purushottam Sharma had proposed his name to Harish Rawat but till the end, Brahmswaroop was saying that he would not fight elections. He always told me that I would fight. Usney mere sath vishwas ghat kiya hai."
First time fielding a new face from the apparent religious fraternity -- Brahmswaroop Brahmchari, Congress has taken a plunge contesting against the three-times winner Madan Kaushik of the Bhartiya Janta Party who is fighting from the Nagar seat and the party infight is all the more obvious with the kind of protests seen on Sunday.
Speaking to the Pioneer after offering prayers at Har Ki Pauri, Brahmswaroop Brahmchari said, “After the nomination of ticket, some leaders do have some anguish but very soon their anger would transform into peels of excitement, striking drums and canvassing for the party.” Brahmswaroop said that his main agenda was development of the region and its culture, giving main focus on educational institutes which have been given a back seat in these past years. When asked about his major opponent from Haridwar urban seat, Madan Kaushik from the BJP, Brahmswaroop said, “The people would ask what he has been able to deliver in the past 15 years when he was three times given the chance. We would put our positive agenda of development of medical college, enhancement in university education, good schools and saving ganga as our primary agendas.” In the afternoon, the Congress list was declared with Brahmswaroop Brahmchari being named the candidate from Haridwar, Ambrish Kumar from Ranipur, Shish Pal Singh from Jwalapur, Mamta Rakesh from Bhagwanpur, Rajpal Singh from Jhabrera, Furkan Ahmed from Piran Kaliyar, Suresh Chand Jain from Roorkee, Choudhary, Yashvir Singh from Khanpur, Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin from Manglore, Haji Tasleem Ahmed from laksar and Harish Rawat from Haridwar rural.