Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Uttarakhand to vote in Phase 1. Check key candidates and constituencies

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha Elections 2024:All five seats of Uttarakhand will go to polls during the first phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. In 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged victorious in all constituencies, and the voter turnout was 61.5 per cent, slightly less than the 2014 general elections.

While the number of seats from Uttarakhand is less as compared to its neighbouring states, it is a key battleground as BJP introduced the Uniform Civil Code in March 2024.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Key Constituencies And Candidates

There are five Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand: Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, and Almora. Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar and Haridwar.

Haridwar: Harish Rawat, the former chief minister of the state, once represented Haridwar. Since 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party has had a strong hold on the seat. Between 1977 and 2009, the constituency was reserved for the Schedules Castes (SC).

In 2019, BJP leader, former education minister and the fifth chief minister of Uttarakhand, Ramesh Pokhriyal, defeated Congress candidate Amrish Kumar in 2019 with a vote margin of over 2,58,000 votes. Pokriyal has also emerged victorious from the seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

However, for the upcoming elections, BJP has fielded Trivendra Singh Rawat from Haridwar. He was the eighth chief minister of Uttarakhand from 18 March 2017 to 10 March 2021. His main competitor is Congress's Virender Rawat, son of Harish Rawat.

Garhwal: Garhwal includes Chamoli, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Nainital (part) and Tehri Garhwal (part). Established in 1957, the constituency has several significant religious places like Badrinath and Kedarnath. Currently, BJP's Tirath Singh Rawat represents the constituency.

In 2019, the seat recorded a voter turnout of 55 per cent. In 2014, Congress's Harak Singh Rawat suffered defeat at the hands of BJP's Tirath Singh Rawat with a margin of over 184,000 votes. This time, BJP has fielded Anil Baluni against Congress candidate Ganesh Godiyal.

Almora: Almora is a key constituency as it has been reserved for candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) since 2009. It consists of four districts: Bageshwar, Champawat, Almora and Pithoragarh. Congress had a strong hold on the Almora Lok Sabha constituency from 1952 until 1996 when BJP snatched the seat from them.

In 2014 and 2019, BJP's Ajay Tamta emerged victorious in the general elections and will aim for a third win from the seat. Congress has once again fielded Pradeep Tamta, who lost the previous two elections from Ajay Tamta.

(With inputs from agencies)