While the BJP may have managed to win the subsequent polls in Uttarakhand, the party’s runup face, Pushkar Singh Dhami, who made CM just six months before the elections so as to turnaround the Anti-BJP sentiments impending under Trivendra Singh Rawat, the former CM of the state— lost to Congress’s Bhuwan Chandra Khapri. This has put the party in a dilemma as to who is going to be the next CM of Uttarakhand.

BJP has appointed Dharmendra Prasad and Piyush Goyal as observers to take into account any new developments. They are expected to take meetings with the recently elected legislators to come to a conclusion on the party’s CM candidates. Some of the senior leaders of BJP’s Uttarakhand unit will also take part in the meeting.

Many people inside of the party are suggesting that Dhami still remains a pacesetter, however, BJP is still considering its options. while others in the party are of the opinion that inducting Dhami as CM can set a bad example. The BJP at present has a long list of CM aspirants including former Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, State Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Union Minister Ajay Bhatt who was speculated to be the frontrunner in the previous elections as well.

It is likely that the party might give Dhami another chance as the whole election campaign in the state was run under his oversight and that he managed to turnaround the BJP’s numbers in the state. He was also quick to address the Char Dham Devasthanam row and critically handle the Covid-19 situation and the Farmers protests in the state, all in a short stretch of time. A few MLA’s have also rallied in support of Dhami and offered to vacate their seats to accommodate him in the Bypolls.

The party may also weigh in on the prospects of bringing a fresh face to replace Dhami as the next CM of the state.