Summary:
Haridwar: A combination of young and elderly “purohits” (priests) won the three key posts of Ganga Sabha, the apex body of purohits, which is entrusted with the management of Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar. Pradeep Jha, who was elected as president, got 200 votes, defeating Gopal Pradhan by a margin of 19 votes. Tanmay Vashishth, elected general secretary, polled 216 votes to defeat his nearest rival Ram Kumar Mishra, who happens to be the outgoing general secretary, by a margin of nine votes.Youngest among the office bearers is 38-year-old Vashishth, the oldest is Sharma, 70. Results of Ganga Sabha were announced late on Sunday night.Krisnha Kumar Sharma, Pradeep Jha and Tanmay Vashishth have respectively been elected as sabhapati, president and general secretary.According to a senior member of the community, who did not wish to be named, the three office-bearers represent three different factions of purohits, which may lead to some friction in the functioning of Ganga Sabha later on.Sharma, who was declared elected to the post of sabhapati, polled 286 votes, defeating Sunil Seth, who got 182 votes..