PremiumAam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday announced that retired Army colonel Ajay Kothiyal will become party's chief ministerial candidate in Uttarakhand Assembly polls. The announcement was made by party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal.
Kejriwal said that the party decided to pick Kothiyal as chief ministerial candidate as people in Uttarakhand said that they are fed up with politicians helming in the state. He asserted, "People here want a break from politicians who have only looted the state. They now want an Armyman as CM who will not spend his tenure filling his coffers but serve them."
The party convener said, if voted to power, the AAP, under the leadership of Kothiyal, will make Uttarakhand the global spiritual capital for Hindus and generate employment opportunities for the state's youth.
On Monday, the party had hinted that it would make an big announcement today regarding the Assembly Elections in the state.
Who is colonel Ajay Kothiyal?
Ajay Kothiyal was the principal of the Uttarkashi-based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in 2013, when the Kedarnath disaster happened. At that time, he was highly credited for doing a commendable job in rescuing people and helping the affected put their lives back on track in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Describing Kothiyal as a true soldier, Kejriwal said the former Army officer is affectionately called 'Bhole Ka Fauji' by the locals in recognition of his work during the 2013 floods in Kedarnath.
"Col Kothiyal is the man who helped rebuild lives in the hills after the Kedarnath disaster. He is an apolitical man with first-hand experience of the ground realities. He will use his experience of rebuilding lives in the wake of the tragedy for building a new Uttarakhand," he said.
"With Col Kothiyal, who has direct knowledge of the ground realities as they exist in the hills, we are working on a plan to generate employment opportunities for the state's youths," he added.
Last year, the party had announced to contest the Assembly polls in the state. The party had promised that would reach out to people with solutions to the problems faced by the state.
The Uttarakhand assembly polls will be held in February 2022. The House has 70 seats. Currently, the BJP rules the state, while the Congress is in the opposition.
(With inputs from agencies)
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