The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar faction) will be holding its 16th biennial convention on July 24-25 in Dehradun. The head of the faction, Trivendra Singh Panwar has formed various committees to ensure the successful completion of the convention.
However, observers point out that with the present UKD chief Kashi Singh Airy not recognising this as a party convention, the event will once again reopen the tussle between the two factions for supremacy.Party general secretary Manmohan lakhera informed that Panwar had formed various committees in view of the biennial convention to be held in a few days. It will be recalled that earlier this year, the UKD patron Kashi Singh Airy, who had earlier been expelled from the party by Panwar for ‘anti-party activities’ was elected the party chief.
Panwar and his followers refused to accept him as the party chief and also protested at the party office for some days demanding that the possession of the party head office be taken back from Airy and his supporters. Since then, both the Airy and Panwar factions have been calling themselves to be the real party and accusing the rival faction of being headed by an unconstitutionally chosen chief.
The UKD which was already struggling to rebuild its political strength and regain public support, is now being seen as a disoriented body. Observers point out that following the large scale devastation wreaked by heavy rains and landslides in Uttarakhand last month, the UKD leaders have remained largely absent from the scene.
Apart from some party leaders demanding that the recent State disaster be declared a National disaster, the UKD leaders have largely remained aloof in spite of being part of what was once the sole regional party which played an instrumental role in facilitating the creation of Uttarakhand State.According to the political observers, the tussle for leadership and resulting division of resources and loyalties in the party has further dented the standing of the party in public.
The planned biennial convention of the UKD (Panwar faction) is bound to reignite the debate, allegations and counter allegations on this issue especially as the Panwar faction had earlier said that the party chief would be elected in this convention.