The central leadership of BJP would take the final decision on the new leader
Monday, 14 March 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
The caretaker chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has emerged as the frontrunner among many contenders in line for the post of Uttarakhand’s new CM. In the last three days support from Dhami within the party and among the newly elected MLAs has increased. Though the Dhami camp is looking increasingly confident, the central leadership of the BJP which is known to throw surprises has so far given no hints on who will be the new CM of the state. The party is yet to officially announce the names of the observers for the crucial meeting of the BJP legislature party. It is learnt that Dharmendra Pradhan and Piyush Goyal would arrive in Dehradun as observers probably after the festival of Holi and the meeting of the BJP legislature party would be convened after their arrival.
The party insiders inform that a large number of MLAs which includes three ministers have expressed their support for Dhami. A senior leader of BJP said that the party had appointed Dhami as part of a long term planning and making someone else the CM at this juncture could increase the factionalism in the party.
On Sunday the newly elected MLA from Tehri, Kishore Upadhyaya, Fakir Ram Tamta, Pramod Nainwal and Lok Sabha MP Ajay Tamta among other MLAs and party leaders met Dhami at his residence. Apart from Dhami, cabinet ministers Satpal Maharaj, Dhan Singh Rawat, Subodh Uniyal and BJP state president Madan Kaushik are said to be the contenders for the top position in case the party decides to nominate someone from among the elected MLAs. The name of Kotdwar MLA Ritu Khanduri too is being taken in some quarters for the post of CM. The names of Rajya Sabha MP and BJP national media in-charge Anil Baluni, former CM and ex-union minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Union minister of state Ajay Bhatt are in contention in case the central leadership of the party decides to appoint someone other than the elected MLAs as the new CM.
When contacted by The Pioneer, Dhan Singh Rawat said that he is not in the race for the post of CM. “It is for the party to decide. I am not in the race, in fact I am leaving Dehradun tomorrow morning for my constituency,’’ he said.
The BJP state spokesman, Ravindra Jugran told The Pioneer that till now there has been no official declaration on the names of the central observers. “The name of the new leader would be decided in the meeting of the newly elected MLAs in presence of the central observers,’’ he said.
Dhami who led the BJP in the just concluded assembly elections himself lost from Khatima assembly constituency. His camp is now asserting that since their leader was instrumental in ensuring two third majority to BJP in the assembly, he should be made the CM. Four MLAs of the party have already declared that they are ready to vacate their seats for Dhami if the party decides to make him CM again.
