Assembly polls: Congress to emerge as single largest party in Uttarakhand

Congress was on Tuesday set to emerge as the single largest party in Uttarakhand, enjoying an edge against ruling BJP in a nailbiting finish for half way mark in the elections to the 70-member assembly.

Out of the 60 results declared so far, Congress won 25 seats and was ahead in eight others while BJP bagged 28 constituencies and led in three, Election Commission officials said.

The biggest setback for BJP was the defeat of chief minister BC Khanduri who was defeated by S S Negi of Congress from Kotdwar seat by 4632 votes.

BSP won three seats and three independents emerged successful, thus positioning themselves as possible kingmakers.

Uttarakhand Kranti  Dal-Panwar (UKD-P) won one seat.

Congress leader Indira Haridayesh wrested Haldwani seat from BJP by defeating  its candidate Renu Adhikari.

State BJP president Bishan Singh Chufal won from Didihaat constituency. PCC chief Yashpal Arya won from Baajpur seat and leader of the opposition Harak Singh Rawat led in Rudraprayag seat.