The chief ministerial candidates of the BJP, Congress, and AAP faced defeat in the Uttarakhand Assembly polls.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lost to Congress candidate Bhuvan Chand Kapri in the Khatima constituency.
Kapdi bagged 52 percent (44,479) votes while Dhami secured 37,425 votes.
In the Lalkuan constituency, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat lost to BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht by 14,000 votes.
Bisht won 53 percent votes securing 44,851 against Harish Rawat’s 28,251.
Congress rebel candidate Sandhya Dalakoti is said to be one of the reasons for Harish Rawat’s defeat. Earlier, the grand old party had given the ticket to Sandhya Dalakoti from Lalkuan but later fielded Harish Rawat from the seat. Annoyed over the change, Sandhya Dalakoti contested as an independent candidate. The rebel Congress candidate dented Harish Rawat’s poll prospects.
This is a second big defeat for Harish Rawat. In the earlier polls, Harish Rawat had contested from Haridwar and Kichha and lost both the seats.
In the Gangotri seat, AAP chief ministerial candidate Ajay Kothiyal got 5,998 votes and lost to the BJP’s Suresh Chandra Chauhan who secured 28,667 votes.
Voting for the 70-member Uttarakhand Assembly was held on February 14.