The size of the crowd that gathered during the BJP’s rally in Haldwani being mammoth, the party insiders say that it must substantially raise up the credibility of the former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari who is also the MP from Udham Singh Nagar lok Sabha seat that covers Haldwani in the party’s electoral calculation in the run -up to the election.
Observers say that the massive turnout would make the BJP leadership happy as they are focusing on the Kumaon region which accounts for 30 of 70 seats and the Thakur community which constitutes over 50 percent of the State’s population.
“Koshyari fits the bill on both counts as he is from Kumaon division and he is a Thakur too. Interestingly, Chief Minister Harish Rawat hails from Kumaon and is a Thakur leader himself.
We are happy that Koshyari, emerging as a leading figure on the State’s electoral horizon, would help us counter the charisma of the persona of the Chief Minister,” said a senior State BJP leader.
Another said that the former CM having risen to the occasion having gathered an impressive turnout in the Amit Shah rally in Haldwani would go a long way in furthering the electoral interests of the party.
“It was a formidable challenge and he succeeded immensely,” he said.
He further said that seldom would one find a village where Bhagatda, he is lovingly called, did not visit by foot. “This accounts for his deep connect with the villagers especially across Kumaon region. He led the party during the Assembly election-2007 as the state president. Rift surfaced after the party made Maj Gen Khanduri as the Chief Minister after the party cobbled up a majority,” he said.
The BJP top brass is of the view that the turnout at both the places in Kumaon-in Almora and Haldwani- in course of the Parivartan Yatra being impressive as contrasted with the one held in Dehradun must bring cheers for the saffron camp.
“We have succeeded in denting the perceived invincibility of the CM in Kumaon. It means we would surge far ahead of them, something that would help us secure a majority,” a State BJP insider said.