Born on May 1, 1961 at Ranikhet to Kamlapati Bhatt and Tulsi Devi, Ajay Bhatt lost his father at an early age and had a childhood full of struggle. After getting a law degree from Almora College, he had a successful career as a lawyer.
He joined the ABVP as a student and has been in active politics since 1980. Inspired by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, Bhatt was actively associated with the Uttarakhand's struggle for statehood and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
He won from Ranikhet for the first time in undivided Uttar Pradesh in 1996. He also became a minister in the Interim government led by Nityanand Swamy in Uttarakhand when it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000.
He represented Ranikhet in the Uttarakhand Assembly for two terms from 2002-2007 and then again from 2012-2017.