Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker confident about BJP sweeping polls (update)

Dehradun, Jan.30 (ANI): The Speaker of Uttarakhand State Assembly, Harbans Kapoor, on Monday said he was confident that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win with an absolute majority in the onging elections in the state.

He was speaking as voting is underway in the state's 70 assembly constituencies amid tight security across 9,744 polling booths.

Of these booths, 1,252 have been categorised as hypersensitive, while 1,794 have been declared as sensitive.

Speaking to media here, Kapoor said he was certain people would vote the BJP back to power for a second consecutive term.

"I am a hundred percent confident about the victory. I am hopeful and I am sure that people will consider the work we have done in these five years," Kapoor said.

Political mercury is rising in the state, as voters will decide the fate of 788 candidates. The main fight is seen to be between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress party.

After casting his vote, Bansi Dhar Bhagat, a state cabinet minister and a BJP candidate from Haldwani city, echoed the sentiments of Kapoor, saying he was confident his party would record a historic victory.

"I am 100 percent confident. I would not term this as over confident but the way people have shown their love and support towards us, I feel 75 percent of voters will vote for BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). We will record a historic victory in Kaladhungi constituency," Bhagat said.

Although the politicians and candidates themselves have exuded confidence, voters said they would exercise their rights but did not expect a drastic transformation in governance, regardless of which party came into power.

"I have cast my vote on the basis of the candidate's work. I do not have any expectations from anyone. Nobody will do anything. Public always get a back seat in this process on which they are spending lakhs and crores of rupees. This was our chance and we have cast our vote," said Deepak Kumar, a voter.

Among the top contenders for clinching the post of chief minister are current head B C Khanduri and leader of the opposition, Harak Singh Rawat.

The state's ruling BJP government has been marred by corruption charges that led to the eviction of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank as chief minister.

He was replaced by Khanduri, who had the unenviable task of cleaning the BJP's image before the polls. (ANI)