Uttarakhand elections 2022: BJP releases its first list of 59 candidates, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to contest from Khatima

DEHRADUN: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released its first list of 59 candidates for the Uttarakhand assembly elections, scheduled to be held in a single phase on February 14.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has been fielded from Khatima, the seat which he currently represents. Similarly, state BJP chief Madan Kaushik will contest from the Haridwar assembly seat, from where he is currently MLA.
Out of the 59 names announced, five are women candidates, said Prahlad Joshi, BJP's election in-charge of Uttarakhand, while addressing a press conference
The most surprising name on the list is Kunwarani Devyani Singh, the wife of four-time MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh 'Champion'. Devyani Singh has been nominated for the Khanpur seat, a constituency held by her husband currently.
Other major women candidates include Sarita Arya, who recently defected from Congress after she was denied a ticket. She will fight from the Nainital reserved seat. Rekha Arya, the incumbent woman and child development minister, has been fielded from the Someshwar assembly constituency.
Meanwhile, in place of Madhu Chauhan, who unsuccessfully contested from the Chakrata constituency in 2017, Ramsharan Nautiyal, father of popular singer Jubin Nautiyal, has been given the party ticket for the seat. Besides, Savita Kapoor, wife of eight-time MLA Harbans Kapoor, who recently passed away, has been fielded from Dehradun Cantt, a seat held by her husband. In Yamkeshwar, the party has replaced sitting MLA Ritu Khanduri, daughter of former CM, Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd), with Renu Bisht.
Former Congress rebels like Umesh Sharma Kau, about whom it was speculated that he may rejoin the Congress along with Harak Singh Rawat, has been fielded from his traditional bastion of Raipur. Cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal has been fielded from his traditional Narendra Nagar seat, and MLA Ganesh Joshi will again contest from the Mussoorie constituency. Tourism minister Satpal Maharaj has also been fielded from the Chaubattakhal seat again.