Haridwar on Rawat’s radar for return to power

DEHRADUN: Chief minister Harish Rawat’s frequent visits to Haridwar and nearby places show that he is focusing on the district to bolster the Congress’ chances to return to power in the Uttarakhand assembly polls due in three months.

In 2009, Rawat won the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat spread over 14 assembly constituencies across Haridwar and Dehradun districts. Haridwar district alone accounts for 11 assembly seats out of the 70 in the state.

The sexagenarian leader, analysts say, is keen on consolidating his base in Haridwar to give the Congress an edge in the assembly polls.

He grabs every opportunity to induct sulking leaders from other parties into the Congress. On Monday, Rawat roped in two-time BSP MLA Chaudhary Yashveer, who was trying to join back Mayawati’s party after he was sacked. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank of the BJP won the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 elections. The BSP has two MLAs from Haridwar district -- Hari Das from Jhabreda assembly seat, and Sarwat Kareem Ansari from Mangalore.

Rawat is trying to woo other backward class (OBC) and minority voters in Haridwar to make inroads into BJP and BSP strongholds. He recently installed an idol of Gujjar leader Rajesh Pilot, and renamed a road after Rajput king Prithviraj Singh. Rawat held meetings in dalit-dominated pockets, and reached out to farmers who constitute around 65% of Haridwar’s rural population.

“Congress plans to win 6-8 seats in Haridwar,” claimed Mathura Dutt Joshi, party spokesperson.

Rawat became active in Haridwar around 2005 when he realised his traditional Almora Pithoragarh parliamentary seat would be reserved for scheduled castes from 2009 general elections. In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, Rawat’s wife Renuka unsuccessfully contested from Almora. Earlier, Rawat was trounced two times from the seat.

The CM’s daughter, Anupama, is now preparing to contest from Haridwar rural assembly seat where social equations stand in favour of the Congress.