Voters’ search for young, growth-oriented leader on Cantt seat

DEHRADUN: Even as

Dehradun Cantt

electorates returned Harbans Kapoor thrice to the Uttarakhand assembly, their search for a new and young leader, who can carry forward and build up on development works undertaken by ageing Kapoor, 71, even further in this BJP bastion is not yet over.

Most of the voters in this segment, though, hail development and growth works undertaken by the incumbent BJP MLA, there are some who feel Kapoor “overlooked” certain areas such as education, roads and regularisation of slums among others. They believe a new and young MLA pregnant with fresh ideas for development may bring about some positive changes in this constituency.

Finding a new and development-oriented leader, however, will not be easy for as many as 1,24,248 registered voters spread across 17 wards, including GMS Road, Garhi Cantt, Panditwadi, Govind Garh and others, who will be spoilt for choice with the highest number of 15 candidates in the fray from this seat in the state.

According to a survey, of the total 1,24,248 voters, almost 50% (62, 124) are Garwhalis and Punjabis, while Muslims, Gorkhas as well as immigrants from other states comprise the rest 50%.

This election, however, BJP candidate Kapoor, who will seek voters’ mandate for a fourth term from Cantt, faces challenges from younger rivals such as Congress’ Suryakant Dhasamana, 52, and Independent Anoop Nautiyal, 52, who quit Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in July last.

Noting that there are some major areas of concern in this constituency, Sunita Verma, a resident of Vijay Park, said, “Even in this day and age, students have to sit on floors at some government schools here. Constructing flyovers doesn’t mean that quality of life has improved, which is increasingly clear from dilapidated condition of roads and drainage system.”

Unauthorised slum colonies in Cantt locality appears to be another major issue for the residents in this constituency.

Sandeep Singh, a resident of GMS Road, said, “There are eight densely populated slums in Dehradun Cantt, especially along Bindal and Rispana rivers. Slum dwellers don’t have a proper place to dump garbage that produces stench, besides no police verification has ever been done to identify slum residents. Thus far, nothing has been done about these colonies, it should be rather looked into on priority.”

Kapoor told TOI, “We have been working to make government education better by getting qualified teachers and providing basic amenities like furniture, toilets, etc. Our effort will continue in the coming years too.”

Dhasamana, however, said, “This constituency mostly constitutes of residential colonies, and people here need not only basic civic amenities, but security and better educational institutions as well, which have virtually been missing. We will deal with all these things.”

Kunwar Singh, a resident of Kaulagarh Road, said, “Change in leadership means change in thought process. At present, we need someone who can work for generating jobs for youths. This is a problem, which is just not unique to this constituency, but possibly a start can be made from here.”