Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman stakes claim to contest from Pauri Garhwal

DEHRADUN: In the wake of sitting Pauri Garhwal MP and former Congress heavyweight Satpal Maharaj defecting to BJP, Uttarakhand PCC spokesman Dhirendra Pratap today staked his claim to contest from the prestigious seat.

In a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Pratap expressed his keenness to contest from the seat as Maharaj had left the party.

"In the light of Satpal Maharaj's decision to leave the party, I propose myself as a candidate from Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha constitiency," he said in his letter, a copy of which was released to the media.

Noting that he sought a ticket from the seat during the last three parliamentary elections as well, he said he was so far silent on the issue as it was almost certain that Maharaj will enter the fray from this constituency.

"However, now that Maharaj has opted out, I have decided to seek the party ticket from the seat," he said. A copy of the letter has also been sent to party Vice President Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary in-charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand Ambika Soni.

He said he had a good track record of serving the party and claimed he would ensure a stunning defeat to BJP candidate in Pauri Garhwal.

BJP has already announced the candidature of senior party leader and two-time Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri from the seat.