DEHRADUN: After much delay, the Congress on Saturday released the first list of candidates for Uttarakhand assembly polls that included names of state unit chief Ganesh Godiyal and CLP Pritam Singh.
The list, however, does not include the name of former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Harak Singh Rawat or his daughter in law Anukriti Gosain Rawat, who joined Congress on Friday in Delhi.
The first list of the Congress comes two days after the BJP announced its first list of candidates for 59 seats in the state.
The party has fielded Singh from Chakrata (ST) assembly seat. He is pitted against Bollywood singer Jubin Nautiyal’s father RS Nautiyal of the BJP.
Other than that, the party has fielded Godiyal from Srinagar assembly seat; Manoj Rawat from Kedarnath assembly seat; Mukesh Singh Negi from Karnprayag; Rajendra Singh Bhandari from Badrinath, and Surendra Singh Negi from Kotdwar assembly seat.
Godawari Thapli would be contesting elections from Mussoorie and Hiram Singh Bisht from Raipur.
The Congress has fielded three women candidates in its list.
The elections for 70 member assembly are scheduled on February 14 and counting votes will take place on March 10.
The Congress is eyeing a comeback in the hill state where it was decimated by the BJP in 2017 assembly elections.