Rebels proved party-pooper for Cong, BJP in Kumaon

Almora, March 10
Rebel candidates of both Congress and BJP have proved to be spoilsport for the candidates of the two parties in the Assembly elections in the Kumaon region.

Though in several constituencies the rebels did not win the elections, they ensured the defeat of the candidates of the Congress and the BJP.

Kaladhungi is one such seat where Congress rebel Mahesh Sharma proved to be party-pooper. Sharma garnered more than 10,000 votes as an Independent candidate and made a major dent in the vote bank of Congress candidate Prakash Joshi.

The party leadership had worked hard for Joshi as he was a protégé of national general secretary of the party Rahul Gandhi. However, Sharma lost to BJP candidate Bansidhar Bhagat mainly due to his past performance.

Manish Tiwari, nephew of former Chief Minister Narayan Dutt Tewari, was also defeated from the Gadarpur seat as Congress rebel Jarnail Singh Kalib managed to garner a majority of the Congress votes. While Kalib finished a close second, Tiwari was pushed to the fourth position.

The same story was repeated in the Almora constituency where BJP candidate Raghunath Singh Chauhan failed to win despite an aggressive campaign against Congress candidate Manoj Tiwari. BJP rebel Kailash Sharma spoilt his chances of victory.

Though Kailash Sharma himself fared poorly, he ensured that Chauhan lost the elections where caste played a major role.

In Someshwar also, Congress rebel Rekha Arya’s performance helped former minister and BJP candidate Ajay Tamta to emerge victorious.

Arya lost the elections to Tamta by more than 2,000 votes while Congress candidate RS Barakoti finished third polling a little more than 6,000 votes.

Even in the Ramnagar seat, more than 4,000 votes polled by the BJP rebel proved expensive for the party and helped Congress candidate Amrita Rawat to win the elections.