Uttarakhand: Pushkar Dhami is most preferred CM face, Harish Rawat a distant 2nd; no one else in race

New Delhi: With the Assembly elections approaching closer, Uttarakhand poll battle is heating up and the race for the top post is getting intense. A lot many candidates are among the top contenders for the Chief Minister post but it’s the CM Pushkar Singh Dhami who leads the pack with a decisive margin.

Pushkar Dhami has emerged as the most preferred CM candidate for Devbhoomi, with no other contender in close sight. Having managed 45% approval ratings in the pre-poll survey by Chief Consultants Strategists Limited (CCSL), Dhami is the number 1 choice for Chief Minister. His closest contestant is Harish Rawat, leading the Congress campaign in poll-bound state.

The survey was conducted in 70 constituencies spread across 13 district in the state, between Dec 10, 2021 to Jan 25, 2022.

Harish Rawat has won approval of 30% people in the survey, which is almost 15% less than incumbent CM. Rawat’s ratings has slipped recently as days ago he was the most favoured face in the race. Having served as Uttarkhand CM in past, he remains a dominant force in state politics but his popularity apparently got hurt after being ‘sidelined’ within his own party.

Other favoured candidates in the list are BJP’s Anil Baluni (7%) and APP CM face Colonel (Retd) Ajay Kothiyal.

61% respondents give thumbs up to Modi govt

When respondents were asked about Narendra Modi govt’s performance, more than 60% respondents gave positive response. 61% rated Modi govt as good, 15% average while 19% saw ‘poor governance’.

Dhami, a good choice to counter BJP’s ‘leadership crisis’

When asked whether Pushkar Dhami was a good choice by BJP brass to lead the party into elections, 52% respondents nodded in positive. They believe that this will help counter BJP’s leadership crisis narrative in state.

About 75% respondents saw Dhami as a promising leader while about 26% don’t see him ‘worthy enough’ to be at the helm of affairs.