Veteran Congress leader Harish Rawat on Thursday accepted the grand old party's defeat in the Uttarakhand assembly election, saying its efforts may have fallen short in winning over the voters of the hill state.
“We were sure that people would vote for a change. There must have been a gap in our efforts. I accept it and take responsibility for the defeat,” Rawat, a former chief minister of Uttarakhand, told reporters.
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Rawat said the Congress' campaign strategy was insufficient, adding he could not win the people's trust. “But I'd like to congratulate my daughter and all the winning candidates,” he said. Rawat's daughter Anupama is leading from the Haridwar Rural seat.
Further, Rawat wondered what was the definition of public welfare and social justice given the mandate. “I cannot understand that after such massive inflation, if this was the public's mandate, what is the definition of public welfare and social justice?... I cannot understand people saying 'BJP zindabad’ after this.”
According to latest trends available on the website of the Election Commission (EC), Rawat is trailing in the Lalkuwa constituency with 28,046 votes against the BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht (45,000 votes).
{{/usCountry}}According to latest trends available on the website of the Election Commission (EC), Rawat is trailing in the Lalkuwa constituency with 28,046 votes against the BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht (45,000 votes).
{{/usCountry}}Also Read| BJP all set for record win in hill state, but CM Dhami loses by over 6,900 votes
So far, the ruling BJP is well over the majority mark and will form the government in Uttarakhand for a second consecutive time. However, the saffron party has faced major disappointment after chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lost by nearly 7,000 votes in the Khatima constituency.
The election to 70 Assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand took place in a single phase on February 14.