Uttarakhand CM Dhami to visit Champawat constituency ahead of by-polls

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday will visit Champawat to seek support from the people, from where he will contest the upcoming by-election scheduled to take place on May 31.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday will visit Champawat to seek support from the people, from where he will contest the upcoming by-election scheduled to take place on May 31. Dhami is not a member of the state legislative assembly and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kailash Gehtori had resigned from the Champawat assembly seat to pave the way for Dhami to contest by-polls after he lost from the Khatima constituency during the polls held in February.

While talking to ANI at his residence in Khatima, Dhami said, "Though Champawat is my new constituency but I have grown up here. I will visit it tomorrow, May 9 to seek support from people. There is a temple of mother Purnagiri, there is a ghat of mother Sharda ji, there is a pilgrimage site and in the coming time we will take Champawat forward." Dhami said that some of the Congress workers had joined BJP as they expressed their intention to work under the leadership of the successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"All the workers want to work under the leadership of the successful PM Modi and they want the development of Champawat. So they joined BJP and I welcome them," he said. Despite the BJP winning the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttarakhand with a majority, Dhami lost the Khatima seat to Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri.

According to the Election Commission, the polling will be held on May 31 while the counting of votes will take place on June 3. Talking about the annual Chardham Yatra, which began on May 3, the Chief Minister said that the government is making all possible arrangements but devotees or tourists visiting the state are in huge numbers.

"Devotees' footfall in Chardham Yatra which is resuming after two years is more than expected. We are making all possible arrangements but people are more than capacity at all four dhams. We request devotees to make lodging, and other arrangements prior to their arrival," he said. "Due to low temperature in the night, tourists are facing trouble. Though we have made sufficient arrangements and will continue making more, I urge tourists to make a planned tour so that they can stay for a long period and have darshan," he added.

The annual Chardham Yatra began on May 3 on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri Temples in the Uttarkashi district. This year, it is not mandatory for pilgrims to carry a negative COVID-19 test report or vaccination certificate.

Char Dham Yatra draws lakhs of tourists and devotees every year from across the country and abroad. (ANI)

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