Since results of the Uttarakhand Assembly election-2017 were declared, three names - Satpal Maharaj, Trivendra Singh Rawat and Prakash Pant - are being considered strongly in the Bharatiya Janata Party State circles as contenders for the post of Chief Minister. Interesting Pant and Trivendra Singh Rawat have strong similarity -- they lost assembly election-2012 and by-poll as well and have served the state as cabinet ministers.
Political party workers are having three different views but unanimously state that as party has won 80 per cent seats of the Uttarakhand assembly - 56 - so no pressure group including ex-CM Vijay Bahuguna, who was very much active, or other heavyweights like ex-CMs Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank are unable to predict what would be next move of the party high command. The name of Satpal Maharaj, who had joined BJP by deserting Congress and won assembly election-2017 from Chaubattakhal in Pauri district, is making the rounds in the corridors of power. First time in his political career he contested assembly election and had contested from secure seat by cutting sitting MlA and ex BJP state president Teerath Singh Rawat’s seat Chaubattakhal. As is known that he is being considered as outsider within BJP so how party would react seems tough to gauge now. Another candidate Trivendra Singh Rawat, who is being known as hard core RSS leader and having support of former CM, has won election from Doiwala assembly seat in Dehradun district. Currently he is in charge of Jharkhand BJP and party had formed government under his leadership in Jharkhand. He is being considered as being in close proximity with BJP national president Amit Shah as well. In this scenario he is being considered as strong contender for the post of the chief minister.
Prakash Pant, who has served the state as cabinet minister and state parliamentary affairs minister, is being considered as soft spoken leader belonging to Brahmin caste from the Kumaon region. He is said to have the support of former CM Bhagat Singh Koshyari as well.
As we know that BJP Uttarakhand election incharge JP Nadda had categorically said that BJP legislature party would decide their chief ministerial candidate. Talking to The Pioneer former CM Koshyari said that his job was to ensure party victory in the state and he has executed his assigned task. As far as chief minister’s post is concerned then it is prerogative of the party high command only, added Koshyari.