Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is another contender for the post. A former chief minister, Nishank is an MP from Haridwar. He was also a hill development minister in undivided Uttar Pradesh. The name of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat SinghKoshyari is also doing the rounds. Koshyari had held the Uttarkhand chief minister’s post briefly after Nityanand Swami. He has also represented the state both in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. Names of BJP national spokesperson Anil Baluni and former state BJP president Ajay Bhatt are also in circulation.

Baluni (50) is currently a Rajya Sabha member and his proximity with the central party leadership may help him get to the top office in the state. Bhatt represents the Nainital constituency in the Lok Sabha. He had defeated former chief minister Harish Rawat in Nainital in the 2019 general elections.

Soon after submitting his resignation, Rawat addressed a press conference at his official residence, telling the media that the party has “collectively decided” that someone else should lead the state now. He said he comes from a humble background and never even imagined his party will give him the honour of serving Uttarakhand for nearly four years as a chief minister.

No chief minister, except the late ND Tiwari of the Congress, has completed his or her five-year term as the CM of the young hill state which was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000. “I feel really honoured that my party gave me the opportunity to serve Devbhoomi for nearly four years,” Rawat said.

“Now, the party has collectively decided that I give this opportunity to someone else. So, I have submitted my resignation to the Governor. I wish all the best to whoever takes over from me,” he said.

He said that during his tenure, several steps were taken for the empowerment of women including a recent ordinance giving the ownership rights to women in the ancestral property of their husbands. Asked as to what was the reason behind his replacement, Rawat did not divulge much. “I told you it was a collective decision of the party.”

On being queried further, Rawat quipped, “You will have to go to Delhi to find that out.”