Assembly election in Uttarakhand inching closer, the top brass of the BJP in Uttarakhand is feeling increasingly disheartened with the central leadership managing things on its own, keeping them relegated to the background. “It seems as if we have no role to play in the electioneering as the Delhi-based leaders are all that matters. True, the party is projecting the PM as the State party’s mascot for the election. However, it does not mean that we would be dumped in the background with the Delhi-based leaders running the show between themselves. If things go on this way a wrong message would be sent to the electorate. Besides, contrast things with Congress and the sorry plight of the State party unit becomes clear. While the Chief Minister Harish Rawat is moving around the State like a whirlwind, bearing the lion’s share of the party’s campaigning, we are, on the other hand, being emasculated with the central leaders trying to delude us into believing that they would give us the victory on a silver platter. But this is an illusion,” said a senior state party leader who insisted on anonymity.
Significantly, the former CM Bhagat Sing Koshyari, MP from Udhamsinghnagar, and Haridwar MP and former CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank were present during the inauguration of a private hospital by Shah in Dehradun on Friday. Two high profile Union ministers were present too. However, humiliating enough for them, they were not asked to speak on the occasion with the central leaders sharing all the addressing between themselves. However, Garhwal MP and ex-CM, Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri (retd) gave the gathering a miss.
Party insiders say that undermining the state stalwarts particularly, Ex CMs Bhagat Singh Koshyari might cost the party dear at the hustings. “A Thakur leader from Kumaon, he can pose a daunting challenge to Harish Rawat who is also a Thakur leader from the same region. Rawat managed to win the lok Sabha election only once from Kumaon lok Sabha seat. Humbled by a BJP candidate from the same constituency, Rawat was forced to scurry for a safer seat in Haridwar in Garhwal division during the general election 2009. Bhagatda, given his vast experiences of the political trajectory of Kumaon, made him literally to run for his political sustenance. Now, Rawat is lamenting the fact that most of the dissidents who tried to topple my Government are from Garhwal to strike an emotional chord with the people of Kumaon region. This is the time when we need Ex-CMs the most to lead the charge against Rawat trying to evoke a sympathy wave among the people of his own region. However, sadly, the party high command is not willing to use his service,” a saffron party leader from Kumaon rued.