The ruling BJP secured a comfortable lead in Uttarakhand on Thursday with its candidates ahead in 44 assembly seats while the main opposition Congress was ahead in 22 seats, according to poll trends available.
BJP's Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was, however, trailing behind Bhuwan Chandra Kapri of the Congress by 954 votes in Khatima, according to trends available for all 70 seats in the state as at 11:13 am.
Bahujan Samaj Party and independent candidates were ahead on two seats each, the Election Commission said.
Prominent candidates trailing in their seats included Congress's Harish Rawat, who was behind Mohan Singh Bisht of the BJP by 7,085 votes in Lalkuan, and Subodh Uniyal of the BJP, who was trailing behind Om Gopal Rawat of the Congress in Narendra Nagar by 1,544 votes.
The ruling BJP is seeking a second consecutive term in office this time, something which has never happened in the state's 21-year history.
Routed in the 2017 assembly polls with a tally of 11 seats against the BJP's 57, the Congress is trying to make a comeback.
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