Uttarakhand Election Results 2022: BJP makes history; heads for second consecutive term

The BJP has increased its vote share in four of the five states that went to polls in February-March, including a marginal rise in Punjab, where it managed to win just two seats. 

Uttarakhand was the only state where the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) vote share declined to 44.3 per cent from 46.5 per cent in 2017. While the party had won 57 of the 70 seats in the hill state in 2017, it had won 32 seats and was leading on 15 more on Thursday. The vote share of the Congress declined in all the states barring Uttarakhand. Ironically, the increase in vote share in Uttarakhand did not reflect in the number of seats as the party had won 13 seats and was leading on six more, a marginal increase from the 11 seats it had won in 2017.

With the BJP appearing to retain power in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who lost his own seat, thanked the people of the state and reiterated his promise of implementing Uniform Civil Code. Dhami addressed a joint press conference at the BJP office here along with party national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and the party's poll in-charge for Uttarakhand Pralhad Joshi.

Kailash Chandra Gahtori has won the seat from Champawat.

Victory in Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh makes it clear that people will make Narendra Modi PM again in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections: BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya in Dehradun

The chief ministerial candidates of the BJP, Congress and AAP faced defeat in the Uttarakhand Assembly polls. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lost to Congress candidate Bhuvan Chand Kapri in the Khatima constituency. Kapdi bagged 52 per cent (44,479) votes while Dhami secured 37,425 votes.

In the Lalkuan constituency, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat lost to BJP's Mohan Singh Bisht by 14,000 votes.

Bisht won 53 per cent votes securing 44,851 against Harish Rawat's 28,251.

BJP is forming govt with 2/3 majority. New records are being made since PM Modi became PM. I am thankful to party and central leadership for giving an opportunity to a person like me of a humble background: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami

We don't believe in the politics of revenge. There needs to be a change, which has been brought by the people of Haridwar Rural. Our workers have worked very hard. We will work for people: Congress's Anupama Rawat, daughter of Congress leader Harish Rawat

Our efforts were a little less to win over the public of Uttarakhand. We were sure that people will vote for a change, there must've been a shortage in our efforts, I accept it & take responsibility for the defeat: Congress leader Harish Rawat

Our campaign strategy was insufficient & I accept it as chairman of Complaint Committee. People worked very well & I'd like to thank them. I couldn't win people's trust but I'd like to congratulate my daughter & all the winning candidates who won: Congress leader Harish Rawat

For me, the results are very surprising. I cannot understand that after such massive inflation, if this was the public's mandate, what is the definition of public welfare & social justice?...I can't understand people saying 'BJP zindabaad' after this: Congress leader Harish Rawat

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has lost the Khatima seat to Congress' Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by more than 6,900 votes

The ruling BJP looked all set to secure a second consecutive term in office in Uttarakhand leading in 44 out of the total 70 seats, according to latest trends.

Harish Rawat loses from Lalkuwa by over 13,000 votes 

Harish Rawat is trailing by more than 12,000 votes (12,048 votes) from Lalkuwa

The Union Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party's election in-charge for Uttarakhand Pralhad Joshi on Thursday said that the party's performance in the state polls was on the expected lines, saying that the people endorsed works done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the welfare of the people.

Talking to ANI, Joshi said, "Under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Dhami, we gave welfare policies to the people of Uttarakhand and have got expected results."

"The result was on expected lines. I want to thank the people and the BJP workers for this result," he added.

The BJP comfortably crossed the majority mark in the early trends and now leads on 43 seats in Uttarakhand Assembly elections, as per the Election Commission Data at 12 PM.

We already knew that we'll form the government as PM Modi fulfilled all the promises he made to the people of Uttarakhand & CM Pushkar Singh Dhami too resolved issues of the people in the last 6 months: BJP leader Kailash Vijavargiya in Dehradaun

Harish Rawat trailing by over 10,000 votes in Lalkuwa

Under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, we gave welfare policies to the people of Uttarakhand and have got expected results: Union minister & state in-charge Pralhad Joshi in Dehradun

Congress leader Harish Rawat's daughter Anupama Rawat leading from Haridwar Rural Assembly seat

Harish Rawat is trailing by 7,085 votes in Lalkuwa

BJP's Pushkar Singh Dhami and Congress's Harish Rawat trailing from Khatima and Lalkuwa constituency, respectively, as per the Election Commission

We are winning on most of the seats & there's a close contest where we're trailing. In an hour, these leads will convert into a majority for the Congress in Uttarakhand and it will get a majority in Punjab as well: Congress leader Harish Rawat in Dehradun

Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress leading in 4 Assembly constituencies each, as per Election Commission

Ahead of the completion of an hour into vote counting, early trends from Uttarakhand show Congress leading in 21 seats, BJP in 14

Early trends from Uttarakhand show Congress leading in 17 seats, BJP in 8

Postal ballots are being counted right now. Around 550 police personnel are deployed here. The use of mobile phones is banned inside counting centers. Victory rallies can be conducted only with permission: SSP Janmejay Khanduri

Early trends from Uttarakhand show Congress leading in 7 seats, BJP in 5

Initial trends from Uttarakhand show Congress leading in 3 seats, BJP in 2 

The counting of votes is a transparent process. There is a standard operating procedure under which we conduct the counting. Authorised polling agents of the political parties are allowed to come inside the counting centre: Sushil Chandra, Chief Election Commissioner

There is no question of EVM tampering. EVMs are continuously used since 2004, in 2019 we have started using VVPAT at every polling booth. EVMs are sealed in the presence of political party agents: Sushil Chandra, Chief Election Commissioner

Counting of votes has begun in Uttarakhand 

"I am confident about the victory of the Congress party in Uttarakhand. Everything will be clear in the next 2-3 hours. I have faith in the people of the state. I believe Congress will get close to 48 seats," says former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat

The BJP if reelected to power in Uttarakhand will constitute a committee to prepare a draft Uniform Civil Code soon after its new government is sworn in, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami promised on Saturday. The panel will comprise legal experts, retired people, intellectuals and other stakeholders, the chief minister announced on the last day of campaigning for the 70 assembly seats in the state going to polls on February 14. The ambit of the committee will cover issues related to marriage, divorce, landed property and succession, he said in a video statement.

“It will be a significant step towards fulfilling the dreams of India’s Constitution makers and will realise the spirit of the Constitution. It will also be an effective step towards Article 44 of the Indian Constitution which presents the concept of equitable law for all citizens of society regardless of their religion,” Dhami said in Hindi.

"We'll form govt with majority in Uttarakhand. MLAs will choose their leader and party's high command will decide it. BJP in the past has tried to break MLAs through money and by using its agencies. We'll ensure this doesn't happen," says Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel in Dehradun

Preparations for the counting of votes in 11 Assembly constituencies in the Haridwar district is underway. 

Haridwar, Ranipur, Khanpur, Jhabreda and Haridwar will have a round of 14 tables, and in the remaining six Assembly constituencies, there will be a round of seven tables.

The counting site is within 100 metres of the Shivdel school campus, a zero zone, and no person will enter with a vehicle. 

As there are 181 booths in Haridwar, there will be 13 rounds of counting of votes.

There is a complete ban on any kind of procession by the winning candidates after the counting of votes.

A day ahead of the counting of the votes, Congress poll observer in Uttarakhand Mohan Prakash on Wednesday said that Chief Minister will be decided by the party high commands and elected MLAs.

"High command and (party) MLAs will decide (on CM face) after discussion...We are sure of forming govt in Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and getting majority numbers in Uttar Pradesh," said Prakash.

His remarks came in the wake of Congress leader Harish Rawat saying that nobody in the party has any objections to his name as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

"I do politics of struggle, not power. The party has told me that the election campaign will be led by me. We are fighting to win the elections. Nobody in the party has any objections to my name as the Chief Ministerial candidate. No party member has expressed any objection to my name," Rawat said a day ahead of polling.

Ahead of the counting of votes for Uttarakhand Assembly elections, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former state CM Harish Rawat held a meeting here late on Wednesday night.

Along with Baghel and Rawat, several leaders who were deputed by the Congress high command attended the meeting at Hotel Madhuban.

The leaders discussed the future course of action after the counting of votes is done.

• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is in the fray from the Khatima constituency in Udham Singh Nagar district
• Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat is in the fray from Lalkuwa seat. He had initially decided to contest from Ramnagar seat in Nainital district
• AAP's Col Ajay Kothiyal (retd) is contesting from the Gangotri seat and will lock horns with BJP's Suresh Chauhan and Congress' Vijaypal Singh Sajwan
• In the Tehri seat, Congress' Dhan Singh Negi, who won the seat as BJP candidate in 2017, is up against expelled Congress leader Kishore Upadhyay who later joined the BJP
• State BJP president Madan Kaushik is contesting from Haridwar
• Anukriti Gusain, daughter-in-law of former Uttarakhand Minister Harak Singh Rawat has been fielded by the Congress from Lansdowne
• Harish Rawat's daughter Anupama is in the fray from Haridwar (Rural). Harish Rawat had lost the seat in 2017. She is against BJP's Swami Yatishwaranand

The BJP had won 57 out of 70 seats in the last assembly polls, a rise of 26 seats from its 2012 tally.

The BJP had secured 46.51 per cent vote share in the 2017 polls.

The Congress could win only 11 seats though the party had 33.49 per cent vote share.

The BJP changed three chief ministers in about a year in the hill state.

If BJP is able to win the election, it will be the first time that a government will be repeated since the formation of Uttarakhand

• Important BJP faces whose fate is to be decided are Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, his cabinet colleagues Satpal Maharaj, Subodh Uniyal, Arvind Pandey, Dhan Singh Rawat and Rekha Arya besides state party president Madan Kaushik
• Prominent faces from the Congress in the fray were former chief minister Harish Rawat, former minister Yashpal Arya, state party president Ganesh Godiyal and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Pritam Singh

The Aam Aadmi Party is also keen to emerge as a big player in the state and projected Col Ajay Kothiyal (retd) as the chief ministerial candidate. He is contesting from the Gangotri seat and will lock horns with BJP's Suresh Chauhan and Congress' Vijaypal Singh Sajwan.

Congress poll effort is led by former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who is in the fray from Lalkuwa seat. He had initially decided to contest from Ramnagar seat in Nainital district. While Rawat is leading the party's campaign, he has not been declared the party's chief ministerial candidate. He is up against BJP candidate Mohan Singh Bisht and Aam Aadmi Party's Chandrashekhar Pandey.

"We are sure that we are going to get a full majority. We do not have a C-plan. But there are many senior leaders who have not been able to get tickets, we will take their cooperation," Harish Rawat said.

With exit polls predicting a close race in Uttarakhand, leaders of both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have exuded confidence about emerging victorious during the counting of votes on Thursday.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said the party's numbers will be more than that predicted by exit polls.

"Most exit polls have shown the BJP government again forming in Uttarakhand. Our actual numbers will be more than what has been projected by the exit polls, and the party will form a majority government... People have given the certificate of the work done by the BJP in the state," he said.

The exit polls predicted a close race in Uttarakhand, with many of them giving an edge to the BJP to form the government

Some exit polls also predicted that Congress would finish ahead and could cross the halfway mark in the 70-member Assembly

Single-phase polling in Uttarakhand was held on February 14, 2022

After each round of counting, tabulation of results in a prescribed format will be done. This will be signed by RO and Observer, and a copy will be shared with the candidates. After the announcement of the round-wise result, counting of the next round will be taken up as per extant instructions. 

Postal ballot results will also be shared in the prescribed format after obtaining the signatures of candidates' agents.

• According to Election Commission (EC), 671 counting observers, 130 police observers, and 10 Special Observers will be on the ground to ensure the smooth counting process
• Commission has also deputed two special officers to supervise the counting arrangements
• EC said all strong rooms, where polled EVMs are kept, are under three-layered security with an inner cordon manned by Central Armed Forces
• Concerned candidates have been watching the strong room arrangements through CCTV coverage of 24x7
• In poll going states, the district administration has imposed sec 144 CrPC around the counting halls to ensure that peace and tranquillity is not disturbed

The counting of votes will begin at 8 am with postal ballots

The counting of electronic voting machines (EVM) will commence at 8.30 am

Counting of votes for Assembly elections in five states --- Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand will be taken up from 8 am onwards today. 

The elections were held in 690 assembly constituencies in the above-mentioned five states. Further counting will also take place for the by-polls held in Majuli in Assam.