Uttarakhand election: Congress changes Harish Rawat's seat; gives ticket to his daughter

Days before former CM Harish Rawat was set to file his nomination from Ramnagar, Congress party changed his seat for upcoming Uttarakhand election. In its third list of candidates released on Wednesday night, it dropped three candidates declared previously, switched seats of two ors and named 5 fresh faces. While Rawat will contest from Lalkuwa, Mahender Pal Singh was nominated from Ramnagar. This comes after Congress leer Ranjit Rawat staked claim for Ramnagar seat and was vocal against party's decision to pick ex-CM inste of him. 

Perceived as an attempt to pacify Ranjit Rawat, he was given a ticket from Salt constituency. BJP's Om Gopal Rawat who switched allegiance to Congress on Wednesday was fielded from Narendranagar seat. Meanwhile, Harish Rawat's daughter and All India Mahila Congress general secretary Anupama Rawat shall fight polls from Haridwar Rural constituency. While  Sonia Gandhi-led party has announced 69 candidates until now, it is yet to decide on candidate for Tehri seat. 

Congress' key candidates

In first list of 53 candidates declared on January 22, Leer of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Pritam Singh was fielded from Chakrata where he has won 5 times in past. On or hand, Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal has been again pitted against Minister Dhan Singh Rawat in Srinagar constituency. From Khatima, Bhuwan Chandra Kapri will take on CM Pushkar Singh Dhami for second consecutive time. Ex-BJP MLAs Yashpal Arya and his son Sanjeev who joined Congress on October 11, 2021, have been given a ticket from Bajpur and Nainital respectively.

However, Sonia Gandhi-led party snubbed former BJP Minister Harak Singh Rawat by not naming him as candidate from his constituency Kotdwar. His daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain though found a place in party's second list of candidates and will fight polls from Landsdowne. In anor development, late Congress veteran Indira Hridayesh's son Sumit shall make his poll debut in Haldwani. Harish Rawat, who is leing Congress' campaign in Uttarakhand, suffered embarrassment as CM in 2017 after he lost from Haridwar Rural and Kichha seats to his BJP opponents by a margin of 12,278 and 2,127 votes.