The President of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), Pritam Singh, has expressed hope that Mayukh Mahar would contest the Pithoragarh by-election as Congress candidate. Talking to the media persons at the Rajiv Bhawan here on Tuesday, the PCC President said that the Congress party is very serious for the Pithoragarh by-election and every worker and leader of the Congress party wants that former MLA Mayukh Mahar should contest from there.

Singh added that he believes that Mahar would contest from Pithoragarh and would emerge victorious.

The statement of the PCC president assumes significance amid speculation on Congress candidate from Pithoragarh by election scheduled on November 25.

After disinterest shown by Mayukh Mahar to contest from Pithoragarh, the former PCC president Kishore Upadhyaya had suggested that former Chief Minister and general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Harish Rawat should contest from Pithoragarh. Reacting to the suggestion, Harish Rawat on his facebook page wrote that Mahar is the best candidate for the party and most deserving as well.

On reported disinterest shown by Mahar, Harish Rawat said that he would be able to persuade Mahar to contest. In the politics of the state, Mahar is considered close to Harish Rawat.

Mayukh Mahar has represented Pithoragarh Assembly constituency once when in the elections of 2012 when he defeated Late Prakash Pant. In the assembly elections of 2017, Pant took his revenge when he defeated Mahar.

The spokesperson of Congress, Mathura Dutt Joshi, former MP, Mahendra Singh Mahara and Jagat Singh Khati are other contestants which Congress can bank upon in case Mayukh Mahar remains adamant on his decision of not entering the electoral fray in the by election.