DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand state Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to field former cabinet minister Prakash Pant's wife from the Pithoragarh assembly seat.
The seat was vacated after the minister died due to cancer. The move is yet to be confirmed by the state leadership.
Ajay Bhatt, state BJP president, commenting on the issue, said, "We have requested the family to get her approval but her decision in the matter will be final. Our proposal included her name on the top."
Chandra Pant has submitted her resignation to the state education department from her post as a teacher. The move is being seen as agreeing to contest the elections scheduled on November 25, 2019.
The byelections have been termed a litmus test for the state government and its policies.
Prakash Pant defeated Mayukh Mahar of Congress in the 2017 state assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had travelled to Pithoragarh to address a rally in his support.
Former chief minister Harish Rawat through his Facebook page expressed support for Mahar contesting the byelections from the coveted seat.