Pithoragarh: In the three-tier Panchayat elections, BJP had to be satisfied with just one seat in Gangolihat Assembly. Congress also got only one seat. Independent candidates won seven seats. BJP candidate Babita Rawal lost on BJP MLA Fakir Ram Tamta’s home seat. Independent candidate Kiran Negi won here.
In Gangolihat, BJP had declared official candidates on nine seats of the Zilla Panchayat. BJP candidate Laxman Singh Karki won the election on the only Udiari Zilla Panchayat seat here. Three rebel BJP candidates also lost the election on this seat. Congress candidate Chamu Singh Karki could not even save his deposit on this seat. On the other hand, independent candidate Vimala Devi won on the Marela Sangoud seat after not getting a ticket from the BJP. Congress candidate Rekha Devi remained in second place. BJP candidate Poonam Devi remained in third place.
Kiran Negi contested as an independent candidate for Pipli district panchayat seat after not getting a ticket from BJP. She won. BJP candidate Babita Rawal came second on this seat. Congress candidate Rekha Bhandari came third. On the other hand, independent candidate Hrithik Pandey defeated BJP candidate Nandan Bafila on Thal district panchayat seat. Independent Rajesh Kumar won the Dhanaulasera seat in Gangolihat. BJP candidate JP Chanyal lost the election. On the other hand, independent candidate Pankaj Bora won the Ganai Gangoli seat. BJP candidate Mamta Bora had to face defeat. Independent Rahul Kumar won the Chahaj seat, Congress candidate Mamta Devi won the Cheetgal seat and independent Shobha Devi won the Sungdi seat.
On the other hand, Deepika Chufal, daughter of BJP DDHaat MLA Bishan Singh Chufal, won in Bhadkatiya of Moonakot. Former president of DDHaat Municipality Kamala Chufal also won the election from Boragaon seat. BJP’s outgoing Zila Panchayat president Deepika Bohra has also won the election from Chhana Pandey. Out of 32 Zila Panchayat seats in Pithoragarh district, BJP has won 14 seats. Congress has won 6 seats. Meanwhile, independents have won 12 seats. Independents will play an important role in the election of Zila Panchayat president.
