Dehradun, Aug 1 (PTI) The final results of a majority of posts up for grabs in the three-tier panchayat elections in Uttarakhand were announced on Friday, with both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress claiming victories in the polls.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami thanked the voters and appealed to all winning candidates to collectively work for the development of gram sabhas which were going to play a big role in the making of a developed India.
“A large number of BJP-supported candidates have won. I express my gratitude to the people. Candidates representing other ideologies have also won.
“I am happy that a large number of young candidates from ordinary backgrounds have won. I congratulate them all and appeal to them to work collectively for the development of gram sabhas which will play a big role in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India,” he said.
The chief minister especially named 21-year-old Priyanka Negi who has been elected as the pradhan (chief) of Sarkot village near the state’s summer capital Gairsain in Chamoli district.
Sarkot has been adopted by the state government to be developed as a model village.
Earlier, he also spoke to her on the phone congratulating her on the victory and asking her to take it as an opportunity to work for the development of the village.
“Sarkot is being developed as an ‘adarsh gram’ (model village). We will develop such adarsh grams in all the districts where employment, self-employment opportunities as well as all basic facilities are available. Victory of many young and educated representatives in this panchayat election is an auspicious sign; the government will provide full support to the panchayats,” Dhami said.
Elections to a total of 10,831 posts of zila panchayat members, kshetra panchayat members and gram pradhans were held in Uttarakhand in two phases on July 24 and 28 in 89 blocks spread over 12 districts of the state, with a collective voter turnout of 69.16 per cent.
Counting of votes began at 8 am on Thursday which continued till Friday evening.
The model code of conduct was withdrawn at 6 pm on conclusion of the electoral process, the State Election Commission said.
While the BJP celebrated by distributing sweets among party workers at the state party office here, the mood in the Congress camp was also upbeat.
PCC president Karan Mahara said the panchayat poll verdict reflects that the issues of corruption and crime against women with which the party went to the people again and again have finally had their effect on the voters.
“It is significant that the kin and relatives of prominent state BJP leaders have lost. The BJP-supported candidate has lost in state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt’s ward. Former minister Rajendra Bhandari’s wife has lost, BJP MLA Sarita Arya’s son has lost, Mahesh Jeena’s son has lost and so has Lansdowne MLA Dilip Singh Rawat’s wife,” he said.
The PCC president said it was hardly an occasion for the BJP to celebrate.
“Sweet distribution at the BJP office here was an arrogant display by the party in power of its money and muscle which it was going to use to put its people in the posts of gram pradhan,” Mahara said.
“We have performed very well. One hundred thirty-eight of a total of 198 candidates authorised by the Congress for zilla panchayat posts have won,” PCC vice president Suryakant Dhamsana said. PTI ALM ALM KSS KSS
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