In electoral politics measured on the formula of anti-incumbency, voters no longer hesitate in giving mandate to governments that work instead of negative campaigning. The same trend was also seen in the Kedar Assembly by-election results declared on Saturday. The people of Kedarnath have put their seal of approval on the actions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, rejecting the negative propaganda made by Congress regarding the holy place and the Yatra.
Since the formation of Narendra Modi’s government at the Center in 2014, there has been a qualitative change in the mood of Indian voters. Voters have now started assessing governments on the basis of their performance.
Be it the return of Narendra Modi government at the Center in the years 2019 and 2024 or the return of BJP government in Uttarakhand and UP in 2022 and recently in Haryana, this is its hallmark. We are seeing the same sequence in the by-elections of Kedarnath Assembly.
The ploy of casteism failed
For this by-election, Congress focused completely on negative issues. The stakes ranging from regionalism to casteism were openly played out. But the voters, rejecting all kinds of negative propaganda, have approved the development work of the BJP government at the Center and the State, from Kedarnath Dham to the entire Yatra route. .
Congress remained negative
Congress’s campaign in the Kedarnath assembly by-election was mainly focused on diverting the Chardham Yatra towards Kainchi Dham, linking the temple being built by a trust in Delhi with Kedarnath Dham, raising questions on the gold donated to the Kedarnath temple and also raising questions on the mountains. Was focused on keeping the two major castes face to face.
State level leaders of Congress openly aired these negative issues. Congress candidate Manoj Rawat even said that this contest is not between him and BJP candidate Asha Nautiyal but between Dham and Dhami. Many leaders including former Chief Minister Harish Rawat and former state president Ganesh Godiyal were attacking Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. In this way, Congress completely marginalized the issues of development and public concern and started relying on negative issues.
CM Dhami counted the works
On the other hand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami himself was leading the election campaign of BJP. From the very first day, he presented before the public the work being done in the entire Chardham Yatra route area including Kedarnath. Also highlighted the policies being run by the state government for women and youth.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that after the demise of MLA Shailarani Rawat, he came forward and considered himself the MLA of Kedarnath seat till the by-election and announced about Rs 700 crore for the development of the area, the mandate for which has also been issued.
In his campaign, Dhami kept PM Modi’s love for Kedar at the forefront. He told how the Prime Minister renovated Kedarpuri, which was destroyed by the deluge in 2013, and today Kedarnathdham is visible in a new form. After becoming the Prime Minister in 2014, he mentioned Narendra Modi’s visit to Kedarnath 7 times in every speech. The BJP state organization also stood shoulder to shoulder and fully supported Chief Minister Dhami. The party made good use of all the party MLAs including cabinet ministers in the election campaign.
lessons for the future
The results of the by-elections show that BJP was successful in breaking the negative narrative of Congress. The people of Kedarnath have given a blow to the forces of regionalism and casteism and have confirmed their resolve to make Uttarakhand a developed state in the silver jubilee year.
