Dehra Dun, Feb 27:  The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP were engaged in a neck and neek contest in the Uttarakhand Assembly polls, according to preliminary trends.

The Congress notched up its first victory with party candidate Yashpal Arya, the Speaker in the outgoing Assembly, emerging triumphant in Mukhteshwar over the BJP's Shri Chand.

Meanwhile, Congress' Vijay Bahuguna was leading in the Tehri-Garhwal parliamentary constituency, over BJP's Manujendra Shah, the son of incumbent MP Manavendra Shah, whose death in January neccessiated the bypoll.

Counting of votes started at 0800 hrs today, amid tight security.

Out of a total of 806 candidates for the assembly elections, 785 were left in the fray for 69 seats of the 70-member Assembly after the Bajpur Assembly election was deferred due to the death of the Congress candidate.

Though the primary fight is between the Congress and the BJP, smaller parties such as the UKD and the BSP could hold the key to power in case neither of the primary contenders achieves a majority on its own.

Among prominent candidates, Congress' Indira Hridayesh was leading in Haldwani, while BJP's Matbar Singh Kandhari and former CM Bhagat Singh Koshiyari were leading in Rudraprayag and Kapkot respectively.

UNI