COLONEL RAM RATTAN SINGH NEGI , MANISH KHANDURI, PREM BAHU KHANDI AND PRATAP Contenders FOR CONGRESS TICKET FROM GARHWAL CONSTITUENCY
Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat is always considered to be an important and hot seat of Uttarakhand as it has given important political, bureaucratic dignitaries to the country.
It gave political stalwarts and renowned freedom fighters like Bhakt Darshan Singh , former union education minister and former MP, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna , former UP CM and several times central minister, former CM ( Rtd) Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, former CM Tirath Singh Rawat, former chief of the Defense services General Rawat, present NSA Ajit Dobhal and several others.
The 1982 by election of Pauri Garhwal parliamentary constituency , the echos of which were heard through BBC when this by -election was rigged by the then Congress led by late PM Indira Gandhi to defeat late H.N.Bahuguna, contesting independently, made Pauri Garhwal constituency popular at the pan India level and globally as well.
The national elections are round the corner likely to be announced this week but BJP has still kept this seat in abeyance and Congress party not arrived at any conclusion about any seat of Uttarakhand.
The BJP seems to be stuck on this seat because there are reports that it is likely to change its sitting MP Tirath Singh Rawat from here to be replaced by Anil Baluni , national media incharge of BJP and former Rajya Sabha MP. Another name of the former Rear admiral AVSM, VSM Om Prakash Singh Rana is also being actively discussed by the BJP. He had been a promising officer with an impeccable track record.
Another seat of Haridwar is stuck similarly as reports suggest that former CM of Uttarakhand and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s close confidant Trivendra Singh Rawat has expressed his desire to contest from here thus creating problems for the sitting MP and former education minister Dr.Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank.
However, in Congress though the candidates doesn’t seem to be much interested to contest but there are reports about currently four aspirants namely Prem Bahukhandi, member of the 2019 menifesto committee of Congress and a JNU Phd , close to Rahul Gandhi, former defeated candidate Manish Khanduri, Colonel Ram Rattan Singh Negi, and Dheerendra Pratap, Vice President of Uttarakhand Congress are in the race from Garhwal parliamentary seat.
According to latest reports though Prem Bahukhandi is making much efforts to bag this ticket having met almost all the senior leaders and presented his papers, this seat primarily being an ex servicemen seat , having majority of them living here including more than 60% Rajput votes , the Congress may give priority to Colonel Ram Rattan Singh Negi, who had been active in the organisation working among army and ex servicemen fraternity. The former defeated candidate Manish Khanduri’s name is also under active consideration though during the last election he had secured about 28 % votes against Tirath Singh Rawat of BJP bagging 68% votes.
The Congress is waiting for the BJP to declare its candidate from Garhwal constituency who probably may be Anil Baluni if the media reports are to be believed.
Sources reveal that the moment name of Anil Baluni comes up, the Congress may declare the name of Colonel Ram Rattan Singh Negi .
However, nothing is confirmed yet but Prem Bahukhandi and Colonel Ram Rattan Singh Negi are serious contenders for Congress ticket from Pauri Garhwal, with the latter the likely choice. He had also applied for ticket from the Lansdowne assembly constituency in 2022 but had to console himself after the daughter in law of Dr Harak Singh Rawat, Anukriti Gusain bagged the ticket of Congress.
Reliable sources reveal that the names of Manish Khanduri , Colonel Ram Rattan Singh Negi and Prem Bahukhandi in the list have been sent to the CEC by the state leadership.
