If it’s not an all-out war between two countries, one could see a major battle between two Generals in the Garwhal lok Sabha seat this summer.

If the sources are to believe that former BJP MP, lt Gen TPS Rawat, who was brought into politics by former Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj in 2002 and rose to become a Cabinet minister during ND Tiwari regime in the State in 2002-2007, may join the Congress in a couple of days and would fight against the BJP candidate and former Chief Minister Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri from Garhwal lok Sabha seat.

Sources further informed Garhwal lok Sabha seat has as many as 43,700 service men voters so Congress leaders have two options at hands at the moment, i.e. lt Gen Gambhir Singh Negi and lt Gen TPS Rawat to fight the BJP strongman. Although Gen Negi had alreadly expressed inability to contest, Congress is putting all efforts to lure Gen Rawat, who has agreed but formal announcement would happen shortly.

Talking to the media person Gen Rawat has categorically said that neither Congress nor AAP leaders has approached him so far. If anyone approached him then he might contest election against BJP candidate Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri from Garhwal lok Sabha seat.

It would be pertinent to mention here that Gen Rawat was brought into politics by Maharaj and become cabinet minister in first elected Congress-led Uttarakhand Government in 2002.

After Assembly election-2007, BJP formed the Government in the State and then Pauri MP, Maj Gen Khanduri became Chief Minister on March 8, 2007. Since then he was desperately looking for an Assembly seat within Pauri lok Sabha constituency to become regular member of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha.

During ‘Operation Search’ for an Assembly seat then Health Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank managed to convince lt Gen Rawat, who had been unhappy because Congress high command had appointed Congress MlA Harak Singh Rawat as leader of Opposition, to join BJP.

Then he was offered Pauri lok Sabha seat, which would be vacated by Gen Khanduri, and he readily agreed. later he won Pauri lok Sabha by-poll on the basis of postal ballot. later he contested election from Garhwal lok Sabha seat against then congress leader or  so-called his political guru Satpal Maharaj during General election-2009. Although he lost General election-2009 with his Guru Satpal Maharaj and since then he was running hard to regain his political identity. In this process he along few furious BJP MlAs formed Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha (URM) during Assembly election-2012.

Although the Congress managed to take revenge by luring BJP MlA Kiran Mandal from Sitarganj Assembly seat after Assembly election-2012. Now Congress wants to take revenge from Congress leader and Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj so they are planning to field lt Gen Rawat against Maj Gen Khanduri from Garhwal lok Sabha seat.