BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat Passes Away at 68

BJP MLA from Kedarnath, Shaila Rani Rawat, passed away at 68. She had been on ventilator support for a backbone injury. Rawat had a notable political career, switching from Congress to BJP, and winning the Kedarnath seat in 2012 and 2022. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid tribute to her dedication.

BJP MLA from Kedarnath Shaila Rani Rawat passed away at a private hospital late Tuesday night at the age of 68. Rawat had been on ventilator support due to a backbone injury for the past few days.

Rawat made her debut in the Uttarakhand Assembly in 2012 on a Congress ticket but lost her seat in 2017. She rebounded in 2022 by winning the Kedarnath seat on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

In 2016, she was among the 10 Congress MLAs who rebelled against former chief minister Harish Rawat and joined the BJP. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami described her death as an irretrievable loss for both the BJP and the state's citizens. Dhami paid tribute by laying a wreath on her body, which was kept at the BJP's state office for public respects.