Uttarakhand go to polls on Wednesday and Chief Minister Harish Rawat is fighting a crucial election of his political career.
The state assembly polls has turned into a Rawat versus Narendra Modi battle. If Rawat managed to save his fortress, he will emerge as a bigger leader and suffering loss will adversely affect his future career.
Sixty-nine-year-old Rawat is back in the news for a wrong reason. This time also for a new TV sting operation.
The clip is of BJP legislator Dan Singh Bhandari, who left the saffron party to join Congress.
Bhandari features in the news sting stating that Rawat has promised to provide him Rs.7 crore for leaving BJP.
This is the fourth sting video on alleged corruption of Harish Rawat government and the timing pose serious threat to Congress in Uttarakhand.
Congress is banking on the performance of Rawat, while BJP wants to capitalize on the Modi wave and also anti-incumbency against the Congress government.
BJP is facing problem of plenty as over a dozen senior Congress have joined the party. In Congress it is a one-man show. Har Da!
This time 7,592,996 voters will exercise their franchise in the Uttarakhand assembly election. This includes, 39.23 Lakh male, 35.72 Lakh female, 151 third gender and 97, 324 service voters.
Polling to Karanprayag assembly seat has been postponed due to death of BSP candidate Kuldeep Kanwasi. The polling has now been rescheduled to 9 March.
Corruption is a major poll issue this time and to take advantage BJP has promised setting up an anti-corruption cell at CM office.
Facing stiff challenge to overcome the corruption charges against his government, Harish Rawat is the chief minister face of Congress. Rawat has done selections of the party candidates by considering local factors.
By getting re-voted to power, Rawat will provide much needed boost to the Congress party. More than enhancing the party confidence, Rawat can become a giant killer by derailing the Modi express in the hill state.