Congress Bets Again on Manoj Rawat for Kedarnath By-Election

Congress has nominated former MLA Manoj Rawat for the upcoming Kedarnath by-election in Uttarakhand, scheduled for November 20. The seat fell vacant following the death of BJP's Shailarani Rawat. The by-election is crucial for both BJP and Congress, with BJP aiming for a strong comeback and Congress seeking to continue its previous successes.

The Congress party has once again placed its faith in Manoj Rawat, selecting him as their candidate for the upcoming Kedarnath by-election set for November 20 in Uttarakhand. This decision was confirmed by Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal and sanctioned by Party President Mallikarjun Kharge.

The seat became vacant following BJP MLA Shailarani Rawat's demise. While BJP has yet to announce their candidate, this by-election holds significant importance for both political parties. In the previous assembly by-elections in Badrinath and Manglaur, BJP faced defeats despite their victory in the Lok Sabha elections, prompting them to focus on securing Kedarnath.

Meanwhile, Congress is keen on sustaining its victorious stride in recent by-elections. The party's recent Kedarnath Prestige Yatra received a positive response, but internal factionalism poses a challenge. Notably, Manoj Rawat, who transitioned from journalism to politics, placed third in the 2022 assembly elections after serving as MLA in 2017.

(With inputs from agencies.)