Tirath Singh Rawat takes oath as new Uttarkahand CM: Former RSS pracharak is known for his 'clean' image

BJP’s Pauri Garhwal MP Tirath Singh Rawat was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand on Wednesday. Rawat’s name was announced by former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat after a legislature party meeting on Wednesday, which lasted for around 30 minutes. Rawat’s appointment as the new chief minister of the state has come as a surprise to many as he was not among the favourites. His name was picked over several other candidates, including Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and Uttarakhand Minister Dhan Singh Rawat. **WATCH: Tirath Singh Rawat sworn in as the new Uttarakhan CM** He is known to have a non-controversial image, and several leaders including Pokhriyal lauded his appointment as the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, especially keeping in mind the 2022 Assembly Election. Who is Tirath Singh Rawat? According to an article on Zee News, the new Uttarakhand chief minister was born in the family of village Sinro of Pauri Garhwal district, and worked as an RSS pracharak. At the beginning of his political innings, he was associated with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. He has also served as the state vice president of Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. He was elected as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council in 1997. According to a report on ABP LIVE, Tirath Singh Rawat was “elected as state general secretary of Uttarakhand in 2007 and after that state chief electoral officer and state membership chief”. According to reports, he also holds an MA in Sociology and Diploma Course in Patrakarita from HNB Garhwal University in Uttarakhand. Tirath Singh Rawat was elected as an MLA in 2012 from the Chaubattakhal constituency. A year later he became the Uttarakhand BJP chief. He continued on that post till 2015, and is currently the party’s national secretary. He was the first education minister of the newly formed state of Uttarakhand in 2000. Though he has held important organisational positions both in the state and at the Centre, Tirath Singh Rawat is a first-time MP. He had defeated his political mentor and BJP veteran Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri’s son Manish Khanduri of the Congress by over three lakh votes to win from the Pauri Garhwal seat in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. “I have been a humble party worker. I had never imagined that I will be a given an opportunity like this by the party. I hope that with everyone’s cooperation and blessings, I will do justice to my new role,” the new Uttarakhand chief minister had said. Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, whose report to the central leadership of the party set in motion the process of leadership change in the hill state, said, “With the kind of challenges facing Uttarakhand, it has got a good leader.” Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, who was also being considered a contender for the post, said Tirath Singh Rawat was a good choice. “Tirath Singh Rawat is indeed a good choice. Now the BJP is sure to win the 2022 Assembly polls in Uttarakhand,” he told reporters after coming out of the state party office here. With inputs from PTI