The fate of 74 candidates, who are trying their luck from five lok Sabha seats of the State, have been sealed by the 62.75 per cent voters out of about 71 lakh voters on Wednesday, which may increase further as the data could not be gathered on time due to inclement weather and connectivity problem.
The way people made beeline from early morning has created panic in the BJP and Congress, who have locked their horns on each of the five lS constituencies, and both have been explaining it in their favour. Although this election is to form government at Centre, its impact would be on Harish Rawat, who was made CM of Uttarakhand replacing Vijay Bahuguna on February 1, 2014.
In this general election the prestige of incumbent Chief Minister Harish Rawat, whose wife Renuka Rawat is contesting election from Haridwar lok Sabha seat, and four ex chief ministers, including Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, who are contesting on BJP ticket from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, Garhwal and Haridwar respectively, and Vijay Bahuguna, whose son Saket Bahuguna is contesting from Tehri lok Sabha seat, is at stake.
Realising importance of each vote Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who resides in official residence of Bijapur guest house that falls under Cantt assembly segment, made his vote in Dharmpur assembly constituency of Haridwar parliamentary constituency. He cast his vote to support his wife Renuka Rawat while BJP candidate Dr Nishank, along with his daughter cast his vote in Cantt of Tehri lok Sabha constituency.
To make election more interesting BJP had fielded three ex-CMs namely Bhagat Singh Koshiyari from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri from Garhwal and Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' from Haridwar and one each MP and MlA Mala Rajya laxmi Shah and MlA Ajay Tamta from Tehri and Almora respectively.
Besides it Congress has fielded two sitting MPs namely KC Singh 'Baba' and Pradeep Tamta from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and Almora respectively of Kumaon division. In Garhwal division they have fielded Renuka Rawat, Harak Singh Rawat and Saket Bahuguna from Haridwar, Garhwal and Tehri respectively. Interestingly all three candidates have tasted defeat in past lok Sabha elections. Harak Singh Rawat had contested from Pauri (now Garhwal) on BSP ticket in 1998; Renuka Rawat had contested election from Almora in 2004 on Congress ticket and Saket Bahuguna had contested Tehri lok Sabha bypoll in 2012.
Son of ex-CM Vijay Bahuguna, who was replaced by Rawat on charges of failure to handle June-2013 disaster, Saket is contesting from Tehri for the second time. Earlier he lost the Tehri bypoll 2012 to BJP candidate Mala Rajya laxmi Shah after the seat was vacated by then CM Vijay Bahuguna after becoming CM of Uttarakhand so pressure is very high on Vijay Bahuguna.
Talking to The Pioneer, Rajya Sabha MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who is in fray against congress candidate and two time sitting MP KC Singh Baba from Nainital-Udhamsinghnagar constituency, said this time BJP would win the seat with record margin.
Former congress leader Satpal Maharaj left the congress and joined BJP during general election. He made allegation against the CM Rawat that CM has assured party high command that he would win Almora and Haridwar seat. First is home constituency of CM Rawat and latter seat is being currently.
Ironically to increase the voting percentage election commission had run several awareness campaign like road show, puppet show, street play, banner or pamphlets and pledge to vote for democracy, has failed to cross last election voting percentage. If we compare with last general election-2009, when polling was 58 percent, then voting percentage this time is five percent higher but compared to assembly election-2012, when polling was 67 percent, the voting percentage is around five percent lesser this time.