Congress Fields Ex-CM Harish Rawat's Son for Haridwar Lok Sabha Seat

Dehradun, March 23 - In a strategic move ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party has finalized its candidates for the two remaining seats in Uttarakhand. The announcement made in New Delhi on Saturday revealed that Virender Rawat, the elder son of former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, will contest from Haridwar. Meanwhile, Prakash Joshi has been chosen to represent the party in the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar constituency.

This decision completes the Congress's lineup for Uttarakhand, with candidates already announced for the Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, and Almora Lok Sabha seats. Virender Rawat is set to challenge former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haridwar. On the other hand, Prakash Joshi will face off against Union Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhatt in Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar.

Haridwar has been a battleground for both parties in past elections. The BJP's Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank secured victories in 2014 and 2019, while Harish Rawat clinched the seat for Congress in 2009. Prakash Joshi, an office bearer of the Indian National Congress (INC), brings his political experience to the fore in Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar.

The Congress had previously announced its candidates for other constituencies in Uttarakhand. Jot Singh Gunsola is set to contest from Tehri Garhwal against BJP's Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah. Ganesh Godiyal will challenge BJP's national media in-charge Anil Baluni in Pauri Garhwal. In Almora, Pradeep Tamta is pitted against former Union minister Ajay Tamta, who has been winning this seat since 2014.

The selection of candidates reflects Congress's strategic approach to reclaiming key constituencies in Uttarakhand. With a mix of experienced politicians and new faces, the party aims to strengthen its position against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.