Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 10 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party has crossed the halfway mark and attained a majority in Uttarakhand in the Assembly polls. According to the Election Commission trends at 7.50 pm, the BJP has won 37 seats and is leading on 10 seats.

While, Congress, BJP’s political opponent which was seeking a term at the office this time, has managed to win 16 seats till the said time and is leading on three seats. (ANI)

Harish Rawat takes responsibility for Congress debacle in Uttarakhand, says party’s campaign strategy was ‘insufficient’

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 10 (ANI): Congress leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat, who was the party’s campaign face in Uttarakhand assembly polls, on Thursday took responsibility for the party’s defeat. Rawat is trailing from Lalkuwa behind BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht by over 17,000 votes.

BJP is set to retain Uttarakhand and has won 20 seats and is leading on 27 seats. Congress, which was banking on anti-incumbency against the state government, has won six seats and is leading on 13 in the 70-member state assembly. Rawat said the party’s efforts have fallen short in getting the support of people. “Our efforts were little less to win over the people of Uttarakhand. We were sure that people will vote for a change, there must’ve been a shortage in our efforts, I accept it and take responsibility for the defeat,” he said.

He also said that the party’s campaign strategy was “insufficient”. “Our campaign strategy was insufficient and I accept it as chairman of the campaign committee. People worked very well and I’d like to thank them. I couldn’t win people’s trust but I’d like to congratulate my daughter and all the winning candidates who won,” Rawat said. Rawat’s daughter Anupama Rawat contested from Haridwar rural seat against BJP minister Yatishwaranand. (ANI)

Will fulfill all poll promises including Uniform Civil Code, says Uttarakhand CM Dhami

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 10 (ANI): As the BJP sustained a lead in the Uttarkhand Assembly elections, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday expressed gratitude to the people for giving the party ‘two-third’ majority and said that the BJP government would fulfil all the poll-promises that the party made before the elections. Addressing a press conference here, Dhami said, “There was a jinx that the BJP and Congress form governments alternatively. I have always said that all the myths are being demolished and new history is being created after PM Modi has come to power. I thank the people of Uttarakhand. We will fulfil all the promises that we have done in our manifesto.”

Reiterating his promise made before the polls in connection with bringing in the Uniform Civil Code in the state after the formation of his government, Dhami said that the new government would implement it after the swearing-in ceremony. “We have promised Uniform Civil Code before the polls that our new government would implement it. We will form a high-level committee of the stakeholders after the swearing-in ceremony. The committee will prepare a draft which we will implement. Besides this, we will fulfil all other promises,” he said.

The BJP leader called the vote of the people to the party “proof that they have voted for the party that works”. “When we were going to the people, we were asked what are our issues? We used to say that we have the work that the Centre and the state governments have done. Today, the people of Uttarakhand have clarified that the BJP is forming a government with a two-thirds majority from their support which is proof that the people have voted for the party that works,” he said.

BJP in charge of the elections in Uttarakhand and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi congratulated Dhami for “creating history” by returning to power consecutively for two terms. “We are creating history in Uttarakhand that no party has come to power consecutively, but Chief Minister Dhami has done it. I congratulate him on that. We will make this decade the decade of Uttarakhand,” Joshi said.

According to the latest trends by the Election Commission at 5.20 pm, BJP has won 18 seats and is leading on 29 seats while Congress has won six seats and is leading on 13 seats. Dhami, who is contesting from the Khatima constituency, is trailing against Congress’ Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by 6,579 votes. (ANI)