DEHRADUN: The contest on two of the five Lok Sabha seats in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, popularly known as Devbhoomi, has become very interesting and complicated too. In Haridwar and Pauri Lok Sabha seats, the political future of both BJP and Congress veterans are at stake.
In Haridwar, the Congress has fielded Virendra Rawat, son of former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, whilst the BJP, on the other hand, has shown faith in Trivendra Rawat. Trivendra was ousted from his position as Chief Minister in 2021 during the Gairsain assembly session.
After a three-year hiatus, the party has sought to 'recompense' Trivendra by nominating him as a Lok Sabha candidate.
Meanwhile, Harish Rawat's political standing is in line with the debut of his son. For Harish Rawat, this election has become a question of prestige as his son Virendra Rawat is contesting for the seat Rawat had lost to former Chief Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
Speaking to TNIE, senior political analyst Udit Ghildiyal told, "Undoubtedly, Trivendra Rawat holds a significant advantage, yet the path ahead is far from smooth; instead, it promises to be a fierce and challenging battle."
Explaining the rationale, analyst Udit stated, "Trivendra Rawat's victories in the 2002, 2007, and 2017 elections from the Doiwala assembly seat, situated within the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency, underscore his strong political standing".
"Given the proximity of Rishikesh and Dharampur to Doiwala, Trivendra is poised to secure a substantial advantage and emerge as a frontrunner in these three constituencies", added Udit.
Based on the available data, during the previous Lok Sabha elections, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank emerged victorious over Renuka Rawat, the spouse of first-time contender Harish Rawat, securing a substantial lead of 50.38 per cent.
Contesting on a Congress ticket, Renuka Rawat garnered a mere 35.25 per cent of the votes, while Nishank received an impressive 592,320 votes compared to Renuka's 414,498 votes.
In Uttarakhand, which has a total of five Lok Sabha seats, the Haridwar seat has always been hotly contested.
Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has been a Member of Parliament from this seat since 2014. Harish Rawat was elected the MP from this seat in 2009. In 2004, Rajendra Kumar Badi of the Samajwadi Party was elected as the MP.
Meanwhile, the two time MP, Union Human Resource Development Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who has been replaced by Trivendra Singh Rawat in the Haridwar seat, refuted accusations of being a passive observer and expressed no remorse.
Nishank emphasized that his primary objective is to secure a resounding victory for the party in the elections.
Historical data indicates that upon the establishment of the Haridwar Lok Sabha seat in 1977, former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh wielded significant influence in this region. Over the years, the political landscape of the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency has experienced fluctuations, with the BJP predominantly holding sway. The outcomes of victories and defeats in this electoral domain have emerged as pivotal tools for political parties to recalibrate their strategies and maintain equilibrium in other regions.