BJP MLA Kailash Chandra Gahtori resigned from the Champawat seat on Thursday, paving the way for Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to contest the assembly bypoll from there.

Gahtori submitted his resignation to Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri at her official residence in Yamuna colony, BJP sources here said.

Pradesh BJP president Madan Kaushik, Cabinet ministers Chandan Ram Das, Saurabh Bahuguna and MLA Khajan Das were present when Gahtori handed over his resignation to the Speaker.

Soon after Gahtori quit, Khanduri said his resignation has been accepted.

After submitting his resignation to the Speaker, Gahtori visited the chief minister’s residence.

Although the BJP won the recent Uttarakhand Assembly elections, Dhami himself could not save his own Khatima seat losing it to Bhuvan Chandra Kapri of the Congress.

He needs to become a member of the state assembly within six months of being sworn in to continue as the chief minister.

Gahotri had offered to vacate his seat for Dhami soon after the latter was sworn in as chief minister.

“It will be an honour for me if the chief minister contests from Champawat”, Gahtori had said earlier.