The BJP might be banking on Uttarakhand chief minister B.C. Khanduri’s “clean image” and his “mass appeal” to retain power in the hill state but Mr Khanduri is finding his new Assembly constituency, Kotdwar, tough to win.
Mr Khanduri is managing a two-prong fight — the Congress candidate, who had earlier won from the seat three times and has a sizeable vote bank and BJP’s sitting MLA S.S. Rawat, who has been denied a ticket this time. Adding to his woes, the constituency has a sizeable minorities population, which is not considered saffron party’s vote bank. The polling in the state is scheduled on January 30 for the 70 member Assembly.
The coming Assembly polls in the state, first after delimitation of constituencies have altered the electoral profile and political boundaries of the sate. Mr Khanduri had earlier contested from Dhumakot seat, whose majority portion got merged with Lansdown after delimitation. Though Mr Khanduri, sources said, had earlier thought of contesting from Lansdown seat but had to back out after former BJP leader and Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha chief T.P.S. Rawat’s name was declared from the seat. Sensing the gravity of the situation, Mr Khanduri has asked the party top brass, including BJP parliamentary party chairman L.K. Advani and party chief Nitin Gadkari to campaign in his new found constituency.