BJP retains Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand bypolls

The victory margin was bigger than the 2017 Assembly elections, when the saffron party won the seat by 2,684 votes.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat dedicated the victory to the dreams of Prakash Pant and development of Pithoragarh.

The ruling BJP retained the Pithoragarh Assembly seat in bypolls, with the party’s candidate Chandra Pant defeating Congress’s Anju Lunthi by 3,267 votes, according to the results declared on Thursday.

The victory margin was bigger than the 2017 Assembly elections, when the saffron party won the seat by 2,684 votes.

Chandra Pant is the widow of three-term BJP MLA Prakash Pant, whose death earlier this year necessitated the bypoll. During the campaign, Pant had promised voters that she will fulfil her late husband’s dreams.

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According to the results, Pant secured 26,086 votes (51.57 per cent), while Lunthi received 22,819 (45.11 per cent).

Samajwadi Party’s Manoj Kumar Bhatt finished third with 835 votes. As per data, 844 voters preferred NOTA.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat dedicated the victory to the dreams of Prakash Pant and development of Pithoragarh.

Congress state president Pritam Singh called the result a victory of sympathy and money power.

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Reacting to the win, Chandra Pant said, “It is the result of developmental works done by my late husband in the constituency, besides the relentless hard work of party workers… I would try to meet the expectations of the voters who showered their love and affection on me.” Uttarakhand BJP president Ajay Bhatt said the Pithoragarh bypoll win was reflective of people’s trust in the party. “By ensuring Chandra Pant’s victory in Pithoragarh, people have reasserted their faith in the BJP. They have also put a seal of approval on the performance of the government headed by Trivendra Singh Rawat, said Bhatt, who is also an MP from Nainital.

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