It's Modi versus Harish Rawat in Udham Singh Nagar: Congress

RUDRAPUR: Chief minister Harish Rawat, whose candidature from Kichha was aimed at bolstering the party cadre in Udham Singh Nagar district where Congress is facing a leadership vacuum after senior leaders Vijay Bahuguna, Shailendra Mohan Singhal and

Yashpal Arya

left the party recently, has addressed just one rally in the constituency till date.

He has visited the area twice -once when he filed the nomination. On the contrary , the BJP cadre here is upbeat over PM Narendra Mo di's rally scheduled in US Nagar on February 11. Two of their former CMs, Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BC Khanduri are camping in the district to ensure victory of BJP's

Rajesh Shukla

, the sitting

Kichha MLA

, who says, “PM's rally will increase the margin of my win.“

It was speculated that Rawat's arrival in US Nagar could help the party bounce back in the nine constituencies of the district after a crushing defeat here in the 2012 elections. The Congress had won just two here in 2012, managing to win another in a bypoll later.

But after the CM has largely stayed away from the constituency, political experts are divided in their opinion on the CM's chances here, let alone the party candidates in other eight constituencies in the district.