The people of Uttarakhand in Uttar Pradesh are a bewildered lot and remain undecided about whom to vote in the coming lok Sabha elections. Though traditionally the hill people settled in the plains of Uttar Pradesh have been supporters of the BJP but this time no one can say with certainty which way the wind may blow.
A majority agrees that the division of votes which will be seen in the State capital between Rajnath Singh of the BJP and Rita Bahuguna Joshi from the Congress in lucknow will be projected in the other parts of the State too. The State capital has over 2.5 lakh people from the hills along with several locals from Uttarakhand residing in Bareilly, Kanpur and Allahabad.
Incidentally the people of Uttarakhand have a chain of relatives with all the major political parties. While Rita Bahuguna Joshi from the Congress comes from the hills, Rajnath Singh’s daughter-in-law Sushma Singh also hails from the hills making it virtually a contest between the Didi and Beti of lucknow. Many also point out that Samajwadi party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has two daughters-in-law who belong to the hills. There is a certain section that is also siding with Nakul Dubey from the BSP but there is no emotive element here.
Vikram Bisht vice-president of the Parvatiya Mahaparishad pointed out categorically that what prevailed was a State of confusion and that the people from Uttarakhandwere being approached by all the political parties. “The votes will be divided not only in the State capital but also across the State. The hilly populace settled here has not decided whom to vote and will remain undecided till the end. There are the same faces we are seeing in all the political camps and even if people openly state that they are voting for the BJP or the Congress, things may come down to be very different at the end,” he said.
Bisht said that they were unlikely to support Rita Bahuguna Joshi. “What has she done for the people from the hills. For years we have been demanding the statue of Chandra Singh Garhwali — one of the greatest freedom fighter from Garhwal — but it went in vain. We have been demanding Yash Bharti awards and Akademi awards but have received nothing,” said Bisht who also pointed out that there will be Garhwal and Kumaon Uttarakhand which will have a role to play in the lok Sabha elections.
Seventy-two-year-old Naveen Chandra Mishra from Bareilly, who was an active organiser of the Uttrayani Mela in Bareilly, admitted that the picture was not clear regarding the voting pattern. “It’s not very clear though the tilt appears to be towards the BJP. However the votes appear to be divided this time,” he pointed out.
Another Uttarakhandlocal, a Government servant, agreed that it was difficult to know which way the votes would go. “Most of the people from uttarakhandbelong to the service class who are more depressed with high prices and unemployment. We are all a part of the State and the deciding factor will be its development. Undoubtedly, the picture is rather blurred and will remain so till the results are out,” he added.
Sushma Kharkwal, a member of the BJP party, however says that there are no two opinions about which way the votes would go. “We respect Rita Bahugua Joshi since she comes from the hills but we are going to vote for the BJP. Whether it is the State or the city, for the people of uttarakhandonly the BJP is the best party,” she said.
President Parvatiya Samajothan Parishad JP Dimri said that the dice will be cast in favour of the BJP. “The State capital will see a division of votes between Rajnath Singh and Rita Bahuguna Joshi which will be more inclined towards the BJP. Across the State however the people from Uttarakhand will vote for the BJP because they have been always doing so and the Modi wave has seasoned it further,” he said. Even as the confusion prevails one thing stands clear that it is far from a “cool” scene here.