Uttarakhand Election Result 2017: CM Harish Rawat loses in Hardwar Rural and Kichha, BJP candidates win

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat. PTI Photo

Uttarakhand Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat has lost from Hardwar rural and Kichha seats, coming second after BJP candidates Yatishwaranand and Rajesh Shukla, reports news agency ANI. As per the current trends, Rawat has lost by a margin of about 10,000 votes in Hardwar Rural. Rawat became CM of Uttarakhand in May 2016 after sitting CM Vijay Bahuguna joined BJP along with eight other leaders.

Rawat’s own term was marred by several controversies including allegations of horse trading. Meanwhile, Congress party is also trailing behind BJP in the state with a huge margin. BJP is currently ahead on 50 states out of total 71.

BJP has not yet announced its chief ministerial candidate for the state and relied upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image who campaigned extensively in the state. PM Modi also inaugurated the Char Dham Highway project which will connect the prominent pilgrimage spots by road in the state.

Counting of votes is currently underway in Manipur, Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab along with Uttarakhand. BJP is maintaining a comfortable lead in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while Congress is ahead in Punjab.