The contest in the Garhwal Parliamentary constituency is seen to be mainly between former CM and BJP candidate Maj Gen (retd) BC Khanduri and Cabinet Minister and Congress candidate Harak Singh Rawat.
Khanduri has represented this segment four times, while Rawat, who is contesting from here for the second time, is posing a tough challenge to the BJP candidate despite the Modi factor and anti-incumbency working against the Congress. Apart from Khanduri and Rawat, there are eight other candidates contesting for this segment, though the main contest is between Rawat and Khanduri. Rawat had contested from this parliamentary constituency in 1998 on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket, but could secure only fourth position with Khanduri winning the poll.
The Garhwal Parliamentary constituency includes 14 Assembly constituencies — Pauri, Kotdwar, Srinagar, Yamkeshwar and Chaubattakhal in Pauri district; Badrinath, Karnprayag and Tharali in Chamoli district; Rudraprayag and Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district; Devprayag and Narendranagar in Tehri district and Ramnagar in Nainital district. In the 2012 Assembly election of 2012, the BJP won 31 seats though Khanduri lost from Kotdwar assembly constituency. Of the assembly seats in Garhwal parliamentary constituency, the Congress won 10 seats which include three seats each in Pauri and Chamoli districts, two seats in Rudraprayag district and one seat each in Tehri and Nainital districts. The BJP had then managed to win three seats from Pauri district- Chaubattakhal, lansdowne and Yamkeshwar.
This time, due to factionalism in the Congress, Harak Singh Rawat has faced problems while trying to manage his campaign without much support from party workers. Sitting MP from Garhwal and past senior leader of the Congress, Satpal Maharaj's joining the BJP recently has also worked against the Congress candidate as Maharaj is said to have a good hold in Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts. The people of Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts are generally dissatisfied with the Congress-led State Government for not ensuring proper post-disaster relief and development of the area. Political observers point out that the Congress candidate has concentrated his full strength particularly in six Assembly constituencies in Pauri, three in Chamoli and two in Rudraprayag with the Thakur versus Brahmin card being brought into the scene. With Congress star campaigners and State leaders focusing more on campaigning in Haridwar and Tehri constituencies, Rawat has had to work harder in his constituency.