An interesting contest is on the cards at Ghansali constituency in Tehri district where the Bharatiya Janata Party turncoat Bheem lal Arya, now contesting on Congress ticket, is locked in a straight fight against the BJP candidate Shakti lal Shah. The constituency has 90711 voters- 46344 males and 44367 females. Notably, the seat was reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) in 2012. It was a general category seat in the first two elections of the state- in 2002 and 2007.
Arya contesting on BJP ticket won the seat during the 2012 election, defeating the Congress candidate Dhani lal Shah by 3, 583 votes. This time, contesting as a Congress candidate, he is taking on the BJP’s candidate Shakti lal Shah.
In 2002, Balveer Singh Negi of NCP won the seat by defeating the Congress candidate Abbal Singh Bisht. However, the tide turned as in 2007, Balveer Singh Negi of Congress won the seat by around 1364 votes, defeating NCP candidate.
Arya has a chequered political career. Though elected for the first time on BJP ticket, he was suspended from the party after he started hobnobbing with the Congress leaders, particularly the Chief Minister Harish Rawat. Things climaxed during the political turmoil that gripped the state in March last year when nine Congress MlAs led by Vijay Bahuguna revolted against Rawat and joined hands with the opposition BJP to pull down the Government. Subsequently, President’s Rule was imposed.
Though under suspension, Arya was served the party whip to be present on the day-May 10- the floor test was to be held to decide whether the Rawat government was enjoying confidence of the House or not.
Arya cross-voted for Congress and was later disqualified from the Assembly by the Speaker under anti-defection law. Arya sounded confident of winning the seat, claiming that he was instrumental in completing several projects pertaining to people of the constituency like roads, and drinking water.
However, BJP is leaving no stone unturned to humble him at the poll hustings to teach his lessons for switching sides to serve self-interests.
A battery of senior saffron party leaders are coming to campaign against him to retain the seat for the party and also to make the ‘turncoat’ bite the dust of the poll.