Pithoragarh bypoll: 45 per cent voting recorded till 6 pm
DEHRADUN: As by-poll in Pithoragarh state assembly constituency concluded on Monday, both BJP and Congress claimed victory. A total of 45 per cent voting was recorded in the assembly seat.
Ajay Bhatt, state BJP president commenting the poll said, "We are confident that people of Pithoragarh will reward us for our work, governance and zero tolerance for corruption".
Pritam Singh, state president of Congress claiming victory said, "Our party has exposed corruption of the government and the BJP. People have already given their verdict".
The election was necessitated after the demise of state cabinet minister Prakash Pant earlier this year. BJP had fielded Prakash Pant's wife Chandra Pant while Congress fielded Anju Lumchi.
Many experts termed the move as walk over. Earlier, Mayukh Mahar who defeated late Prakash Pant in state assembly elections in year 2012 refused to contest the elections from the coveted seat.
Prakash Pant defeated Mayukh Mahar of Congress in 2017 state assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had traveled to Pithoragarh to address a rally in his support.
Many villages boycotted the bypolls citing negligence and lack of basic facilities such as roads, running water and others.
Pankaj Bisht, a resident of Deodar village from the assembly seat said, "We have been demanding link road since decades. Only empty promises have been made and now more than 70 years of Independence we are without roads".