Stiff challenge from BJP forced CM to camp in Sitarganj: Pant

The results of the bypoll would be declared tomorrow.

Pant said the stiff challenge posed by the BJP forced Congress nominee and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to camp in the constituency for a month.

"It has happened for the first time that a Chief Minister camped for nearly a month in the constituency leaving routine government work to ensure his win in the by-election. I think, this was the first victory of BJP against Congress in Sitarganj," he told reporters here.

The BJP candidate said ever since he filed his nomination papers on June 13, Bahuguna did not leave Sitarganj area except for a couple of days.

"BJP would register a win in the by-election," Pant added.

Pant also alleged violation of election code of conduct during campaigning by Congress and said he had already apprised the Election Commission of various developments in this regard.

He alleged that the Congress government's move to provide ownership rights on agricultural land to people was a farce as according to the Government's Grant Act, 1895, land leased out to people automatically becomes theirs after a period of 30 years if they do not violate the lease conditions.

But he claimed that the people of the constituency have voted for BJP as they witnessed the developments, including resignation of the person they elected in the January 30 Assembly elections.