Friday, 13 August 2021 | Gajendra Singh Negi | Dehradun
Face facade
The situation of perplexity in both the potent political forces in Uttarakhand- the BJP and Congress- continues over the face with which they would enter the battlefield of assembly elections of the year 2022. The predicament of the saffron party in the state over the issue of leadership came to fore recently when one of the national general secretaries and in-charge of the party in Uttarakhand stated that the BJP would fight the upcoming assembly elections on its symbol ‘Lotus’ and not on any face. His proclamation was quickly countered by the president of the state unit who asserted that the young chief minister Dhami would be the face of the party in the elections. The dilemma in BJP is understandable since it has a battery of tall leaders (both indigenous and imported) in its fold and it has changed CMs in the state at the drop of the hat. A similar confusion over leadership prevails in the opposition Congress which is eyeing a comeback to the power in the state. Though the party high command has virtually bowed down before the mighty Harish Rawat by making him as the head of the election campaign committee and anointing his protégé as PCC president, it has refrained from asserting that Rawat would be its face in elections.
Saffron Tilus ?
A minister of the Dhami cabinet became furious recently when scribes sought his reaction to the Congress party’s allegation that rampant nepotism prevailed in the selection process of the prestigious Tilu Rauteli awards. The minister was miffed because his daughter was one of the recipients of the award given to women who excelled in different chosen fields. He asserted that his daughter is very talented and hardworking and fully deserved the award. Interestingly the list of 22 selected for the award named after a 17th century female warrior who is considered as a symbol of woman power in Uttarakhand has many who were connected with the saffron party. The minister’s contention that being a relative of BJP leaders should not be a hindrance for the deserving candidates is genuine and should be acceptable to everyone. Being the kith and kin of the ruling party leaders is an added qualification which naturally tilts scales in their favour in the selection process.
Harak’s plan
Ripples were created in the political ecosystem of the Himalayan state recently when the powerful cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat proclaimed that he is no more interested in contesting the upcoming assembly elections. While some linked the announcement with the grudge he holds for being ignored in the party others point out that one should not read too much into the announcement of the wily leader and termed it pressure politics to get BJP’s ticket for his daughter in-law as well. His declaration also means that the mercurial leader who is known to hop parties and change his seat in every assembly election could again change the seat and not contest from Kotdwar in the year 2022 where things are not so rosy for him.
