BJP releases 3rd list of 2 candidates for Uttarakhand polls

New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) The BJP on Friday released the third and final list of two candidates for the Uttarakhand Assembly polls.

The BJP has fielded Kishor Upadhayay from Tehri and Brijbhushan Gairola from Doiwala assembly constituencies.

In a statement, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh said, "The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the BJP has decided the following two names for the ensuing general elections to the legislative Assembly of Uttarakhand."

Former Uttarakhand Congress president Upadhayay joined the BJP on Thursday after being expelled from the party on Wednesday. Upadhayay was elected twice from the Tehri Assembly constituency in the past. In 2017, he was denied ticket from Tehri and fielded from the Sahaspur Assembly constituency in Dehradun. He lost the election from Sahaspur.

On January 20, the BJP released its first list of 59 candidates for the Uttarakhand Assembly polls. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik have been fielded from Khatima and Haridwar Assembly constituency respectively. In first list, the BJP has replaced 10 sitting MLAs with new faces

On January 26, the BJP released a second list of nine candidates for Uttarakhand.

Polling for the 70-member Uttarakhand Assembly will be held on February 14 and counting of votes is on March 10. The ruling BJP is leaving no stone unturned to retain power in the state. The BJP has set a target of winning over 60 seats. In the last Assembly polls in 2017, the party had won 57 seats.