Click to play videoDehradun: As Uttarakhand braces for the crucial Assembly polls, the Rudraprayag constituency has become a centre of attraction with two heavyweights from the same family gearing up for a no-holds-barred contest.
The situation stands interestingly poised as Congress has fielded Leader of Opposition Harak Singh Rawat against BJP's Matbar Singh Kandari, a cabinet minister and two-time MLA from the constituency. Rawat is the brother-in-law of Kandari.
Rawat, Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly and a strong CM contender, had to shift out of his traditional seat in Lansdown to face one of his toughest electoral battles yet. Rawat says he's emotionally attached to the seat.
And challenging Rawat in Rudraprayag is Education and Irrigation minister in BC Khanduri's Cabinet, Matbar Singh Kandari. Kandari's wife and Rawat's wife are sisters. That's not all, Dr Raj Kunwar who is their brother-in-law has been employed by the newly formed rival political outfit Uttarakhand Defence Front to manage its election campaign.
Lt Gen TPS Rawat, President, Uttarakhand Defence Front, says, "Yes we have deployed the third brother-in-law to ensure the other two are defeated."
In this battle for Rudraprayag, Rawat is more experienced in taking on those within the family. After all, he has defeated his uncles in past elections. But this time he is up against a formidable foe. Kandari is no novice to politics. He has won every election from Rudraprayag since 1991.
on the day of counting only one will win to enter the Vidhan Sabha. Perhaps the only consolation for the other two would be that the seat remains with the family for the next five years.
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