Congress not to take Dhumakot by-election lightly:Rawat

Dehra Dun, July 24 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Harak Singh Rawat today said the Congress would not take Dhumakot Assembly by-election lightly just because the Chief Minister was contesting.

''Normally it is taken for granted that when any Chief Minister contests a by-election he wins,'' said Mr. Rawat also the Congress MLA from Lansdowne constituency of Pauri district.

He said that this time it was different as the election was not merely an election but it was fight for the self respect of the people of Dhumakot. Mr Rawat said Dhumakot people had earlier handed over victory to a Congress candidate. However their representative had abandoned the people to join the BJP. The Dhumakot constituency had fallen vacant following resignation of Congress MLA from the constituency Lt. Gen (Retd) T P S Rawat who joined the BJP.

He said now the people of Dhumakot would vote not for the Chief Minister but to maintain their self respect. Mr Rawat said the fight this time was against 'Betrayal' and the Congress, as the people had termed the MLA a ''Bhagoda'' (betrayer).

Mr Rawat said that Chief Minister B C Khanduri had done nothing for the Dhumakot region though he is an MP from the area. Now when he has to contest for the Assembly seat from the area suddenly he has started making it an epicentre of the developmental works. ''We have complained to the Election Commission of misuse of Government machinery though the Model Code of Conduct is yet to be implemented,'' he disclosed. He added that mr Khanduri himself was doubtful of his victory. He should win the election without any such enticement policy if he had faith on his and Mr T P S Rawat's popularity. ''And his weak confidence is one of the strengths of Congress,'' Mr Rawat stressed.

UNI