Congress on course to win municipal elections in Uttarakhand: Mahara
INTERVIEW
Wednesday, 22 January 2025 | Gajendra Singh Negi | Dehradun
After a series of electoral losses in Uttarakhand, the urban local body elections in Uttarakhand are very important for the Congress party. A better performance in these elections will boost the morale of the Congress workers. The Pradesh Congress Committee president Karan Mahara is travelling to all parts of the State to campaign for the party candidates. On Tuesday he took time out of his busy schedule to interact with The Pioneer on the ULB polls.
What are the prospects of the Congress party in ULB elections?
The people of the State are angry at the failure of the State government in every field. The people living in the cities and towns are suffering from the lack of civic amenities, sanitation issues and traffic jams and will vote against the BJP candidates. I am sure that Congress will secure a clear victory in the ULB elections.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cabinet ministers and senior BJP leaders are leading the BJP campaign. What effect will this have on the poll outcome?
This shows that the ground reports are suggesting a victory for the Congress party . The fact that CM is criss- crossing the State in a helicopter and former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat and other senior leaders have to campaign for BJP candidates in the wards shows that the BJP is very desperate and is set to lose the elections. Fearing defeat ,the CM and ministers are openly violating the model code of conduct.
What are the issues on which the Congress party is contesting the elections?
We have released a 26-point ‘Vachan Patra’ and we have based our campaign on it. The party will focus on the green agenda in development of urban centres. We have assured regularisation of slums and supply of potable water to all citizens. The solution for traffic issues, creation of parking spaces in every ward and planner development of cities is on our priority.
Your manifesto was released just two days before the end of the campaign. What is the reason for the delay?
We were trying to include every issue in our manifesto. Moreover, we didn’t want the BJP to copy our agenda so we delayed its release.
There is confusion among slum dwellers after a recent order of NGT. What is your stand?
The Congress party favours giving ownership rights to the slum dwellers. Our government had passed a bill regarding regularisation of slums in the year 2016 and under it the ownership rights were given to about 90 slum dwellers. To honour the NGT our government will construct colonies for slum dwellers for their rehabilitation.
How will the rebels affect the prospects of Congress candidates?
We have expelled many rebels and their supporters. In Pithoragarh we have asked the party high command to take action against MLA Mayukh Mahar who is opposing the official candidate of the party.
The State government is set to implement uniform civil code soon in the State. What is your opinion?
The State government has violated the model code of conduct by convening a cabinet meeting on UCC. The government has legitimised the live-in relationship in the UCC which is against our cultural values. Moreover, a large population is not under the purview of UCC in the State.
How will women voters influence the ULB election outcome ?
The political inclination of women voters has remained a concern for us in the past elections but in this campaign I am noticing a clear shift of women voters to our side. The Congress party is committed to women empowerment and has vehemently opposed the cases of increasing crime against women. The statement of BJP minister Subodh Uniyal has exposed the anti-women mind-set of BJP.
