The BJP is leading in all five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand, according to early reports, signaling a strong showing in the state for the third consecutive term. The official trends from the Election Commission are yet to be released, but indications suggest significant leads for BJP candidates in key constituencies.
Former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is leading in Haridwar, taking over from former CM and sitting MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. In Tehri Garhwal, Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah is ahead, while Anil Baluni is leading in Garhwal (Pauri), Ajay Bhatt in Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, and Ajay Tamta in Almora.
The counting of votes began at 8 am for the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand, a state where the BJP has maintained a stronghold since 2014. In this election, the BJP aimed for a hat-trick of victories, facing direct competition from the Congress in all five constituencies.
Polling for these seats was held on April 19 during the first phase of the election. This election cycle is notable for the BJP as it introduced new candidates in some key constituencies. Besides Trivendra Singh Rawat in Haridwar, the party’s national media in-charge Anil Baluni replaced former CM Tirath Singh Rawat in Pauri Garhwal.
Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal are crucial battlegrounds, historically contested by both BJP and Congress. Harish Rawat, a senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister, won Haridwar in 2009, while former BJP Chief Minister Nishank won the seat in 2014 and 2019. In Pauri Garhwal, the seat previously held by BJP’s Tirath Singh Rawat was won by BJP veteran Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri in 2014 and by Congress’s Satpal Maharaj in 2009.
The seats of Nainital, Almora, and Tehri Garhwal are also closely watched, with incumbents Ajay Bhatt, Ajay Tamta, and Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah seeking re-election. Exit polls have predicted another clean sweep for the BJP in Uttarakhand, echoing their strong performance in previous elections.
For the Congress, a win in any of these seats would be significant, breaking a long streak of electoral defeats. The party lost all five Lok Sabha seats in both 2014 and 2019 and faced substantial losses in the 2017 and 2022 assembly polls. In the 2017 assembly elections, Congress won only 11 seats against BJP’s 57 in the 70-member house, and in 2022, they slightly improved to 19 seats compared to BJP’s 47.
As the counting progresses, the early leads for the BJP reinforce their dominant position in Uttarakhand politics, while the Congress continues to strive for a resurgence in the state.
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