DEHRADUN: Two-time MLA Karan Mahara is the latest Congress entrant in the race for leader of Opposition. Mahara, an MLA from Ranikhet defeated BJP state chief Ajay Bhatt from the constituency. In 2007 too, he had defeated Bhatt from the same constituency. 44-year-old Mahara is the brother-in-law of former CM Harish Rawat and a prominent face of the party in Kumaon region.Besides Mahara, Indira Hridayesh, Pritam Singh and Govind Singh Kunjwal are in race for the key position. Interestingly, with just a day to go for the state's first assembly session after the government formation, the Congress is yet to finalise its leader of Opposition.Senior Congress leaders including Harish Rawat, state Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay and party's state in-charge Ambika Soni after an extensive round of discussion shortlisted four names from the 11 MLAs who won in Uttarakhand in the recently concluded polls."We have forwarded the names of Hridayesh, Singh, Kunjwal and Mahara to the national leadership, which will now take a call on the issue," Congress state chief Kishore Upadhyay told TOI. He claimed all four were prominent party leaders, who have been legislator on two or more occasions. "I think the name would be made public on Thursday," said the state Congress chief.76-year-old Hridayesh has been active in politics since early 1970s and has held a number of senior positions including that of finance minister in the previous Congress government . Kunjwal was speaker of Uttarakhand assembly from 2012-17 and is a prominent leader of Almora district, from where Harish hails.Singh is a four time MLA from Chakrata, which has remained a stronghold for him. Despite facing a tough candidate in form of Madhu Chauhan of the BJP, Singh was successful in winning the seat.A party insider said that after the election results were declared it was assumed that either Hridayesh or Kunjwal would get the position. "However, both are in their 70s, whereas Singh is 58 years old and Mahara's age is 44. After the crushing defeat and going on a long term plan, the party may go for either Singh or Mahara as age is on their side,"

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