Uttarakhand to get new CM today: A look at top contenders

New Delhi, Mar 10: The Bharatiya Janata Party will meet to decide the successor of Trivendra Singh Rawat who resigned as chief minister on Tuesday.

About half a dozen names have been doing the rounds as probables, including Hardwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', Nainital MP Ajay Bhatt, state Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni and state minister of Higher Education Dhan Singh Rawat.

The BJP's national vice president Raman Singh, a former chief minister of Chhattisgarh, will chair the crucial meeting.

Dhan Singh Rawat

Uttarakhand BJP MLA Dhan Singh Rawat will likely be chosen by the party as the new chief minister of the hill state. Rawat, 50, is a Minister of State in Uttarakhand and MLA From Srinagar constituency in Pauri district.

Satpal Maharaj

Satpal Maharaj, a spiritual master, serving as the current tourism, cultural and irrigation minister in the cabinet of Government of Uttarakhand is also one of the contender. He joined the BJP only in 2014 after losing out to Harish Rawat for the chief minister's post.

Ajay Bhatt and Anil Baluni

Ajay Bhatt and Anil Baluni, two senior leaders from the state who are members of Parliament, are being seen as two other strong probables for the top post. However, Bhatt has clarified that he is not in the race to become the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.

Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (61) is also seen as a strong contender to replace Trivendra Singh Rawat. Nishank has served as chief minister of Uttarakhand, and was also a hill development minister in undivided Uttar Pradesh.

It needs to be seen whether he would vacate a Union cabinet berth to return as chief minister of Uttarakhand.

The BJP is also mulling to bring in a deputy chief minister, who will be from the Kumaon region to grant better representation in the cabinet to the region ahead of next year's elections. Pushkar Singh Dhami is likely to be the deputy chief minister.