Press Trust of India / Dehra Dun Jun 01, 2009, 12:56 IST
After being drubbed in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand, the ruling BJP today heaved a sigh of relief when it won the Kapkot assembly seat in the by-election.
BJP's Sher Singh Garhia defeated NCP's Kunti Parhiar by a margin of 7,167 votes from Kapkot, the by-election for which was held on May 28. Congress candidate Chamu Singh Gasyal remained on the third spot.
Garhia was polled 13,823 votes, while Parihar managed to get 6,656 votes.
The result also gave the ruling party, which was one short of majority in the 69-member House, the much needed boost to touch the magic figure of 35.
The Kapkot assembly seat fell vacant after former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari was sent to Rajya Sabha last year after he led a rebellion against his arch rival and Chief Minister B C Khanduri.
Thereafter, the growing differences between the Khanduri and Koshiyari camps led to the BJP's defeat in the recent Lok Sabha polls where the party lost all the five seats in the hill state.
However, on the advice of the party high command, both Koshiyari and Khanduri this time campaigned together for Kapkot to put up a united face of the party against the resurgent Congress.
Meanwhile, Congress has accused the ruling BJP of misusing the official machinery to win the Kapkot seat.
Having faced a humiliating defeat, losing all the five seats during the Lok Sabha polls, BJP had left no stone unturned to woo the voters, as a face saving device in the Uttrakhand hills to bag Kapkot seat for Vidhan Sabha. Having got the majority now in the Vidhan Sabha where it was one short of the magic figure earlier, BJP should strive to win the confidence of all, so as to run the government smoothly.
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