Even as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was busy pacifying sulking leaders after the ticket distribution that triggered chinks in the party, some prominent leaders, including sitting BJP MLA Kedar Singh Phonia (who has been denied ticket) called on Lt Gen (retd) TPS Rawat, president of Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha (URM), in the state capital on Sunday.
A marathon meeting between both the top leaders and their supporters started on Sunday morning and was continuing till filing of this story.
Sources revealed that both the leaders discussed the possibility of Phonia and others contesting under the URM symbol.
Sources told HT that the meeting was held in a 'conducive' environment and the probability was that Phonia might contest the poll on URM symbol from Badrinath seat. The BJP has already given ticket to Prem Ballabh Bhatt, a confidant of chief minister BC Khanduri.
Interestingly, septuagenarian Phonia is a close friend of Khanduri but the problems between both erupted when Khanduri took over as CM in 2007 and did not induct Phonia in his ministry.
"The outcome of the meeting will be known later but there are several leaders who have been approaching us," said PC Thapaliyal, spokesperosn URM.
URF has already announced a list of 28 candidates and the party claims it will contest the rest of the 32 seats too.
{{/usCountry}}URF has already announced a list of 28 candidates and the party claims it will contest the rest of the 32 seats too.
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