The Uttarakhand High Court’s decision to defer the notification of Panchayat elections by ten days gave the much-needed time for the new Chief Minister Harish Rawat to push for his agenda and strengthen his political position. Interestingly, it also gives crucial leverage time to the various agitating federations and unions to press for their demands.
The State Government had put the plea of deferring the Panchayat elections as the model code of conduct would affect the disaster relief operations. However, political observers here are of the opinion that the Rawat Government wants to use this crucial time — before the model code of conduct is enforced — to launch various populist schemes so that it can reap the benefit in the polls. The various agitating federations and unions of the State would also use this time to bargain for their demands from a vulnerable Government which is in poll mode. Many federations of unemployed youths like physical education trained unemployed graduates, Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) and Teacher’s Eligibility Test (TET) qualified unemployed youths, Shiksha Acharyas wanting to be converted into Shiksha Mitras, Yoga education trained graduates and Unemployed Pharmacist unions are on a war path with State Government to press for their demand of Government jobs.
Sundar Dhoni, the State President of the Physical Education trained unemployed federation, told The Pioneer that they are very hopeful that their demand for job would be addressed soon. He said that his federation would adopt every possible mean in coming days to press the State Government to accept their demand of job.