Jul 3, 2021: Uttarakhand got his third Chief Minister in four months. The state BJP on Saturday announced the name of Pushkar Singh Dhami as the state’s eleventh Chief Minister. Dhami was picked by the state BJP legislature party members. The change happened as Tirat Singh Rawat had resigned from the post amid infighting and fading chances of his getting elected to the state Legislative Assembly by September 10.

Dhami’s name was declared after the 57 Uttarakhand BJP MLAs met at the party headquarters in state capital Dehradun.

The 45-year-old Dhami is considered to be close to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Dhami is a two-time legislator representing the Khatima constituency in the state's Kumaon region. He was an Officer on Special Duty to former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari.

The names of nearly half-a-dozen MLAs had done the rounds as probables for the top job, including that of Satpal Maharaj, Dhan Singh Rawat. Some party leaders also recommended former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat for a second term.

Uttarakhand is due for Assembly election in less than a year.

Tirath Singh Rawat, till then an MP, was sworn in as Chief Minister in March following fierce dissent against Trivendra Singh Rawat. To keep the office, Rawat had to win an assembly seat by September 10.