For the BJP, which claims to be party with a difference, regaining its electoral space in Uttarakhand may not be so easy as it appears if the regional satraps fail to resist themselves from keeping their political ambitions behind the interests of the party.
The BJP has already experienced the self promotional form of politics in the Himalayan State. Change of Chief Minister three times in the previous BJP regime only gives that impression. More so, the personality clash that led to frequent change of guard in the BJP-led Government in the Himalayan State between 2007 and 2012, also damaged the political interests of the party in the 2009 lok Sabha elections when the BJP had to lose all the five lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand despite anti-incumbency against the Congress led UPA Government at the Centre.
More so, it also failed to retain power in the State even after coming too close in 2012 State Assembly polls due to similar reasons.
It is worth mentioning here that in electoral politics as far as stability is considered when the nation is passing through the phase of coalition politics, every seat has its importance. But as has been reported, fighting among the leaders for tickets within the party may not augur well for the BJP ahead in the 2014 poll process.
The matter of concern is that as the senior party leaders as well as political analysts here maintain, since the BJP has projected Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate, therefore it must have reached consensus about selection of candidates for maximum lok Sabha seats much earlier.
Now, when the election process has begun, clashes over candidate selection has only damaged the momentum the BJP has achieved so far, admitted the party leaders, advising the ticket seekers to raise their voices only in the appropriate party forum.
As has been reported in the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar lok Sabha seat, there are more than one ticket seekers from the BJP in every parliamentary constituency of the Himalayan State who have openly expressed about their political ambitions.
Apart from Ajay Tamta, party’s MlA from Someshwar in Almora, who was BJP candidate from the Almora -Pithoragarh lok Sabha seat in 2009 general elections also there are two other leaders including Rekha Arya and Chanar Rama who have also sought party ticket from this reserved lok Sabha seat.
Similarly, there are three contenders from the BJP in Madan Kaushik, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Naresh Bansal who are seeking party ticket from Haridwar lok Sabha seat. While BC Khanduri is party’s choice for the Garhwal lok Sabha seat, but as the party insiders say, some other leaders like Mohan Singh ‘Gaonwasi’, Anil Baluni and Manohar Kant Dhyani have also offered their candidatures.
More so, in the Tehri lok Sabha seat where it was believed that the BJP would repeat the incumbent Mala Raj lakshmi.
But another party leader Munna Singh Chauhan has also thrown hat in the ring. Therefore, it is to be seen how the BJP gets through these inner party ‘hurdles’ ahead of the main electoral battle.