RS polls: Ex-CM Bahuguna in list of 5 names for BJP’s Uttarakhand pick

Election is due as the term of Congress MP Raj Babbar is set to expire on November 25, and October 27 is the last date for filing of nominations.

The nomination process has started but no candidate has filed nomination so far. The ruling BJP, which has 57 MLAs in the 71-member Assembly, can comfortably ensure the victory of its candidate and is expected to be the only party to field a candidate.

In May 2016, Bahuguna had joined BJP with eight other Congress leaders who had rebelled against the Harish Rawat government in March that year. The defection had led to President’s rule in Uttarakhand and the rebels were expelled by the Congress after Harish Rawat won a trust vote and returned as Chief Minister on May 11 that year.

When he was in the Congress, Bahuguna was expecting a Rajya Sabha ticket from Uttarakhand but the party picked Raj Babbar instead.

Balraj Pasi had defeated ND Tiwari in the 1991 Lok Sabha election in Nainital constituency and later held various organisational posts in the BJP.