Dehradun: the Election Commission of India, in a recent announcement, unveiled the schedule for bypolls in seven assembly constituencies spread across seven states. These electoral contests arose following the unfortunate demise of the incumbent members who held these seats. Among them, Uttarakhand's Bageshwar assembly constituency was left vacant due to the passing of the revered sitting member and minister, Chandan Ram Das. The minister succumbed to a prolonged illness on April 26 earlier this year.
The seat vacancy in the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led ministry has now swelled to four, casting a shadow over the stability of the government, which currently boasts only eight ministers, including the Chief Minister himself.
According to the directive issued by the Election Commission, the official gazette notification for the by-election is slated to be published on August 10, while interested candidates have until August 17 to file their nominations. The meticulous scrutiny of these nominations will take place on August 18, and the deadline for withdrawal of nominations is set for August 21. Voters in the Bageshwar constituency will head to the polls on September 5, with the counting of ballots scheduled for September 8. The final results are expected to be announced before September 10.
Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has traditionally held a firm grip on this constituency, is yet to unveil its official candidate for the upcoming by-election. Chandan Ram Das had been the relentless representative of the Bageshwar constituency since 2007, maintaining an impeccable electoral record.
Speaking to the media, BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt last mobnth disclosed that the party would soon reveal its chosen contender for the Bageshwar constituency. He asserted the party's readiness to face the by-election, expressing confidence in securing a resounding victory. Bhatt also noted that the party has been actively engaging with the constituency through a series of meetings conducted over the past month.