Rawat, Maharaj in great demand for UP polls

DEHRADUN: With polling getting over in Uttarakhand, chief minister Harish Rawat and his archrival BJP national executive member Saptal Maharaj are in great demand from their parties for campaigning in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Both the parties are waiting for their central leaderships to formally issue directives for sparing Uttarakhand leaders needed in Uttar Pradesh elections. Well-placed sources in the BJP said Maharaj is in great demand to seek votes for party candidates in remaining phases of Uttar Pradesh assembly election. BJP leadership in Delhi has already asked Maharaj to campaign in Banaras, Gorakhpur and two more districts which is yet to be decided.

Maharaj is also in demand for sizable presence of his spiritual followers in Uttar Pradesh. Other leaders who are likely to campaign in UP elections are Jharkhand state in-charge Trivendra Singh Rawat, former chief ministers Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and state party chief Ajay Bhatt along with few others listed as state campaigners.