Brother-in-law in BJP fold, Mamta all set to battle it out

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 23

The Bhagwanpur Assembly segment was a BSP bastion until Mamta Rakesh, widow of BSP legislator late Surendra Rakesh, joined the Congress last year.

Mamta Rakesh contested the byelection in April 2015 after the death of her husband who had cancer. He was the Cabinet Minister for Social Welfare and Road Transport and had extended support to the Congress government which brought him closer to Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Mamta got 59,205 votes and won by a 22,000 margin as Congress candidate defeating her nearest rival BJP’s Rajpal Singh (36,909) votes.

In 2002 elections, Chandrasekhar Bhattewala (15,875) of the BJP had defeated BSP Surendra Rakesh (12,527) by a margin of 3,348 votes, while Cong candidate Sheeshpal (11,065) came third.

Taking the electoral revenge in 2007, Surendra Rakesh (27,776) defeated BJP’s Chandrasekhar Bhattewala (23643).

Making it second time in a row in 2012, Surendra Rakesh beat Congress candidate Satya Pal Singh by a margin of 6,781 votes with BJP candidate Suresh Rathore getting 10,650 votes.

Mamta Rakesh is now contesting her second election but this time, she has to face opposition within her family.

Subodh Rakesh, Surendra Rakesh’s younger brother, wanted ticket for himself but Mamta refused as a result of which Subodh joined the BJP.

Now, the BJP has fielded him from Bhagwanpur, making the victory path uneasy for Mamta.

Mamta Rakesh said she had carried out significant development in his short tenure as legislator, though claimed that Surendra Rakesh in capacity of both as Bhagwanpur legislator and minister did the maximum work.

“The youth were given jobs through opening of industry and in government services too in the 8-year tenure of my husband. I am trying to carry out that legacy though some family members revolted and had joined the BJP. My husband worked for minorities, Dalits and the poor and was always against the BJP-RSS ideology. Now, voters will decide that whether they want development or just power hungry tenure of the BJP,” said Mamta, while addressing mediapersons at an election meeting here today.

The BSP has fielded Ram Kumar Rana this time, who is also eyeing the Dalit and minority vote bank though he is not a popular face in the segment and is deemed as forced candidate by the high command.

Subodh Rakesh has already started election campaign, holding small meetings in villages where he is trying to present himself as real successor of his brother Surendra Rakesh.

“After the death of my brother, development has suffered in the segment with Chief Minister Harish Rawat just making poll announcements to appease voters. But people will vote me to teach the Congress a lesson for neglecting Bhagwanpur for two years. More jobs for the youth in the industrial units, better road transport connectivity, construction of bridges and opening of higher educational institutes will be my priority,” said Subodh Rakesh.

The Bhagwanpur Assembly segment comprises Sikroda, Habibpur Niwada, Manak Maira, Jalapur Dada, Hasan Pur , Madanpur, Chahparsher, Afganpur, Latifpur Khubbanpur, Bhagwnapur, Hallumajra of Bhagwanpur, forest area, Karondi,Sikandapur Bhaswal, Sirchandi, Khelpur, Nasrulapur, Ruhalki Dayalpur, Kunja Bahadarpur, Chudiyala Mohanpur, Bhalsawagaj, Bindukharak, Bahedeki Saidabad, Manakpur Adampur, Iqbalpur and portions of Roorkee.