The Aam Aadmi Party, which will be making its debut in the next year’s assembly elections in Uttarakhand, has confirmed that its CM candidate Col Ajay Kothiyal will contest the poll from the Gangotri assembly constituency. His candidature was announced by AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia during a rally yesterday. This has made the contest interesting on a seat considered the key to power in the state. It is believed that the party which wins the Gangotri seat forms government in the state.

Col Ajay Kothiyal today said that the AAP will leave no stone unturned to fulfil the dreams of Uttarakhand. “Since Manish Sisodia ji announced my candidature from Gangotri Vidhan Sabha, I am getting constant calls from the local public and well-wishers, the local people of Gangotri are very excited to join the Aam Aadmi Party. I assure you that your Colonel Kothiyal will never break your trust, the people of Gangotri will play the biggest role in realising the dream of Uttarakhand’s Navnirman,” said Kothiyal.

Col Kothiyal comes from a non-political background. He has been popular in the state since the days of the 2013 Kedarnath floods where he saved many lives. He was also principal of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi.

Earlier, the Gangotri seat was occupied by the BJP. The seat fell vacant after the death of sitting MLA Gopal Rawat. The seat has rested in the hands of either the BJP or Congress in the state ever since it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh.

However, with the ruling BJP and a strong Congress against him, the path ahead will not be a cakewalk for Col Kothiyal. While local reports suggest that the BJP may field Rawat’s wife from the seat, the Congress is likely to go with former MLA Vijaypal Sajwan. Both the BJP and the Congress are likely to play the Thakur card and Kothiyal, being a Brahmin, can make the contest interesting.