Cong announces candidates list for U’khand polls, unhappy workers cause ruckus

The rebellion surfaced in Uttarakhand Congress minutes after party announced list of candidates for Uttarakhand that goes to polls on Feb 15.

The Congress announced on Sunday its list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Uttarakhand, sparking rebellion among those whose names were left out.

Congress workers take down posters of state party chief Kishore Upadhyay in Dehradun on Sunday after candidates list for the Uttarakhand assembly elections was announced. (Vinay S Kumar/HT Photo)

Supporters of Congress workers who didn’t make the cut went berserk, shouting slogans against chief minister Harish Rawat and state party president Kishore Upadhyay minutes after the list came out. Some workers also tore up posters of party leaders amid police presence.

Party supporters shout slogans against chief minister Harish Rawat and state party president Kishore Upadhyay outside the Congress headquarters in Dehradun on Sunday. (Vinay S Kumar/HT Photo)

The hill state goes to polls on February 15.

As per the list, chief minister Rawat will contest from two seats Kicha in US Nagar district and Haridwar (rural). Upadhyay will contest from Sahaspur, a minority voter dominated seat in Dehradun district. At least three candidates were vying for a ticket from Sahaspur while around a dozen were seeking a ticket from the Dehradun Cantonment seat.

Some reports said there was dissatisfaction over the ticket distribution in Haridwar and some pockets of Kumaon region as well.