The BJP on Tuesday announced the candidature of its senior leader Prakash Pant against Uttarakahand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna in the Sitarganj assembly by-election.
Senior leaders of the Uttarakhand unit said while three names were sent to the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership, Pant got the green signal to contest.
Pant has been a minister in successive BJP governments in the hill state. He lost the March assembly polls from Pithoragarh.
Bahuguna, when he became the chief minister, was a MP from Tehri. He is contesting from Sitarganj as a Congress candidate. He filed his nomination papers June 14.
The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Uttarakhand Kranti Dal have decided not to field a candidate against the chief minister citing political propriety.
The election will be held July 8. The seat fell vacant following the resignation of BJP legislator Kiran Mandal last month.