The weather gods seem unhappy with the elections in Uttarakhand. Campaigning for the February 21 Assembly elections has come to a virtual standstill due to incessant rain and snowfall over the past few days.

The ruling Congress has been the worst-hit. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was to address rallies at Pitthoragarh, Rudrapur and Haridwar today, cancelled his visit after the clouds showed no signs of clearing. Since late last week, Chief Minister N D Tiwari, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Harish Rawat and state in-charge Moti Lal Vora have been waiting for an opportunity to campaigning together and put across a message of unity to the party cadres and electorate.

But the party’s worries are far from over. It now fears party chief Sonia Gandhi’s campaign rallies on February 14, 16 and 18 might be washed out too. Candidates from Uttarkashi, Tehri and Srinagar Garhwal are praying now for the weather to clear so that Sonia can campaign tomorrow. “It would be a disaster if she is not able to make it,” Kishore Upadhaya, the Congress candidate from Tehri said.

The BJP too has been hit. Top leader L K Advani had to cancel his visit to the state today. He was to address public meetings at Chakrata, Vikasnagar and Sahaspur.

But with the party deciding to complete its campaign on road, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi and Hema Malini were able to address some rallies across the state.

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