Bageshwar Bypoll: Tight Contest Likely Between BJP, Congress

The Uttarakhand Bageshwar Assembly seat by-election will be held tomorrow, September 11. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Parvati Das as its candidate, while the Congress has named Basant Kumar. The by-election was necessitated by the death of the incumbent BJP MLA, Chandan Ram Das, in June.

Basant Kumar, who now represents the Congress, had previously been an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate in the same constituency during the 2022 elections. He also held the position of Vice President in the AAP's state unit.

The bypoll was triggered by the untimely demise of Chandan Ram Das, Parvati Das's husband and the previous representative of the Bageshwar constituency. Chandan Ram Das had served as the Bageshwar MLA for four consecutive terms since 2007, and his passing led to the state government declaring three days of official mourning.

During the 2022 elections, Chandan Ram Das secured a significant victory in Bageshwar, garnering 43.14% of the votes. In contrast, the Congress candidate Ranjit Das received 26.88% of the votes. Interestingly, Ranjit Das has since switched allegiances and joined the BJP.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in his efforts to bolster support for the BJP candidate, described Chandan Ram Das as a dedicated MLA who worked tirelessly for the development of the Bageshwar constituency. Dhami asserted that voting for his wife, Parvati Das, would be a fitting tribute to the late leader.

Dhami conducted well-attended road shows alongside BJP MP Ajay Tamta in Garud and Bageshwar, expressing confidence that the BJP would once again triumph in this region known for the revered Baba Bagnath Shiva temple.

The BJP has been vying for voter support by promising comprehensive development for the constituency under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dhami expressed his belief that the people would once more associate Bageshwar's progress with the BJP's governance.

On the other side, Congress stalwarts like Harish Rawat, PCC president Karan Mahara, and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Yashpal Arya have toured the entire constituency, urging voters to support the Congress candidate and hold the BJP accountable for issues such as rising inflation, unemployment, and women's safety. The Bageshwar assembly constituency comprises 1,18,225 voters spread across 188 polling stations.

Aside from Parvati Das and Basant Kumar, other candidates in the bypoll include Bhagvati Prasad of the Samajwadi Party, Arjun Dev from the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, and Bhagwat Kohli of the Uttarakhand Parivartan Party.