Ramesh Pokhriyal lists reasons behind BJP's landslide victory in Uttarakhand

Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and BJP leader Ramesh Pokhriyal on Friday said that BJP's big win in the state has broken the myth as this is the first time any party has won a second term in the state since its creation in 2000.

"We (BJP) have broken a myth in Uttarakhand creating history in the hill state by returning to power with a comfortable majority. People used to say that once BJP will come, then Congress and the cycle will follow," said Pokhriyal.

According to him, development works like all-weather road connectivity, Rishikesh-Karanprayag railway line, reconstruction works around Kedarnath, One Rank One Pension for ex-servicemen, free COVID vaccination, and free distribution of ration during pandemic are the reasons behind BJP's victory in the state.

The BJP has come back to power for the second consecutive term in Uttarakhand with a two-thirds majority in the 70-member Assembly. The party won 47 seats.

Commenting on a new Uttarakhand CM, Pokhriyal said, "Whoever the legislative chooses as its leader will be the CM of Uttarakhand." He emphasized that all the prospective CM candidate has to go through the legislative selection procedure to be the Chief Minister.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday along with the state cabinet submitted his resignation to the governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh at Raj Bhavan. As per the practice, he will continue as the caretaker chief minister till the new government is sworn in.

The incumbent Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, however, suffered a loss to Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by a margin of 6,579 votes in the Khatima constituency. Dhami got a total of 41,598 votes with a vote share of 44.8 per cent as against Kapri who got 48,177 with a huge vote share of 51.89 per cent.

( With inputs from ANI )