PremiumBharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is poised to return to power with a comfortable majority for an unprecedented second term in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand
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Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who led the campaign for his party in Uttarakhand, lost the election from the Lalkuwa seat on Thursday, as per the trends on the election commission website.
Congress is trailing with the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) having already crossed the majority mark of 45 seats in the 70-seat Uttarakhand assembly.
Taking to social media, Rawat conceded that he has lost and only a formal announcement by the poll body remains.
He also took responsibility for Congress' performance in the state assembly polls.
“Our efforts were a little less to win over the public of Uttarakhand. We were sure that people will vote for a change, there must have been a shortage in our efforts. I accept it and take responsibility for the defeat," Rawat was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
“Our campaign strategy was insufficient and I accept it as chairman of Complaint Committee. People worked very well and I would like to thank them. I could not win people's trust but I would like to congratulate my daughter and all the winning candidates who won," he added.
Further, he said he is surprised by the assembly poll results and cannot understand people saying 'BJP zindabaad'.
“For me, the results are very surprising. I cannot understand that after such massive inflation if this was the public's mandate, what is the definition of public welfare and social justice? I cannot understand people saying 'BJP zindabaad' after this," said Rawat.
His daughter, Anupama Rawat, has won from the Haridwar Rural seat for Congress.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has lost the Khatima seat to Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by over 7,000 votes.
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