Dehradun/Haridwar – As the 2027 Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha elections approach, political calculations in Haridwar district are heating up, with the Khanpur seat drawing particular attention.
Harish Rawat’s Haridwar Outreach Fuels Speculation
The ex‑chief minister has signaled an intention to contest the 2027 polls from somewhere within Haridwar district. A flurry of social‑media posts and the launch of his proposed Jan Samvad initiative – which earmarks Khanpur as a key focus area – have intensified rumours that Rawat may aim for the constituency. Though no formal declaration has been made, the implication is clear.
Rawat’s ties to Haridwar run deep. He previously represented the city in the Lok Sabha and, in 2017, contested two assembly seats – Haridwar Rural and Kichha – both of which he lost. This historic connection makes his renewed interest in Khanpur noteworthy.
2022 Election Recap: Independent Umesh Kumar’s Victory
Khanpur’s current legislator is independent candidate Umesh Kumar, who secured the seat in the 2022 assembly election with 38,767 votes. He edged out BSP contender Ravindra Singh, who garnered 31,915 votes, while BJP’s Kunwarani Devyani Singh followed closely with 30,834 votes. The Congress nominee managed only 6,289 votes. Kumar’s margin of victory stood at 6,852 votes, underscoring the constituency’s competitive nature.
A Glimpse into History: The 2016 Sting Operation
The Rawat‑Kumar dynamic also stretches back to the 2016 political turmoil in Uttarakhand. At that time, Kumar, then a journalist, was linked to a controversial sting that implicated then‑CM Harish Rawat. The episode triggered a CBI investigation, culminating in a 2023 special court order for voice‑sample analysis of Rawat, Kumar and several other individuals.
After the legal dust settled, Kumar pivoted to electoral politics, winning the Khanpur seat as an independent in 2022.
Could Khanpur Host a High‑Profile Showdown?
A direct face‑off between Harish Rawat and Umesh Kumar remains a possibility rather than a certainty. Rawat has yet to file a nomination from Khanpur, but a formal entry could turn the constituency into a focal point of Uttarakhand’s 2027 political narrative, given the contrasting trajectories of the two leaders and their shared past from the 2016 sting case.
The definitive candidate list will solidify once parties and aspirants submit their official nominations for the 2027 assembly election.
