Ex-CM Khanduri's daughter not in BJP's first Uttarakhand list

New Delhi, January 20

The BJP today released the first list of 59 candidates for the 70-member Uttarakhand Assembly poll, fielding Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and state unit president Madan Kaushik from Khatima and Haridwar, respectively.

BJP state election incharge Pralhad and general secretary Arun Singh said 10 sitting MLAs had been replaced with new faces. Those dropped included Kunwar Pranav Singh ‘Champion”, Mahesh Negi and former CM Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri’s daughter Ritu Khanduri.

Kunwarani Devyani has been fielded from her husband’s seat Khanpur. Other women candidates include Rekha Arya (Someshwar), Chandra Pant (Pithoragarh), Sarita Arya (Nainital), Renu Bisht (Yamkeshwar) and Savita Kapoor (Dehradun Cantt). The BJP has fielded Saurabh Bahuguna, son of former CM Vijay Bahuguna, from Sitarganj, senior leaders Satpal Maharaj from Chaubattakhal and Dhan Singh Rawat from Srinagar. —