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Opposition Leader faces stiff challenge

C. K. Chandramohan

RUDRAPRAYAG: This remote Uttarakhand Assembly constituency is witnessing a battle among four law graduates. Leader of Opposition and BJP nominee Matwar Singh Kandari faces stiff competition from Virendra Singh Butola, a seasoned Zila Panchayat member fielded by the Congress, and Shrikrishna Bhatt, executive president of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal.

The BJP and Congress nominees might suffer some damage at the hands of Congress rebel Bharat Chaudhary contesting on Nationalist Congress Party ticket as his supporters are allegedly trying to whip up regional passions.

The constituency suffers from neglect with nearly 25 per cent of the villages lacking basic amenities like roads, education, health, drinking water and power. "No political party is concerned about our fate, which is why we remain neglected even after the creation of Uttarakhand," said Usha Bhatt and her friends at Jakholi.

Mr. Kandari, who has represented this constituency in the Assembly for 16 years, is confident of a win not only here but predicts a thumping majority for the BJP as the people feel more than cheated by the `corrupt and ineffective' administration provided by the Congress. He is, however, countered by Mr. Butola who feels that the BJP stood exposed as the common man knew that the saffron brigade used communal and regional feelings only to grab power.

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