Second-line BJP leaders jostle for power

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 29

Ever since the state of Uttarakhand was created, the shift and churning in the party politics has more or less revolved around the troika of BC Khanduri, BS Koshiyari and Ramesh Pokhriyal.

Now, with power equations changed after elevation of Amit Shah as the party’s national president, the relevance of the three power centres is expected to diminish. Predictably, with the sights fixed on the 2017 Assembly elections, jockeying for power has begun among the second generation of state BJP leaders. They smell an opportunity just in case Shah presses for change in the old order.

Among those jostling for power and visible on the BJP firmament are BJP president Teerath Singh Rawat, Leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt, senior BJP leaders Prakash Pant and Trivender Singh Rawat, former BJP chief BS Chuphal, Dhan Singh Rawat and Suresh Joshi.

In order to remain relevant in 2017, present state BJP chief Teerath Singh Rawat, whose tenure will end this year, has little time left to prove himself. Rawat was catapulted to the top position in the party solely due to the support of senior BJP leader and MP BC Khanduri.

While Teerath Singh Rawat’s tenure has been marked by lacklustre performance as Uttarakhand BJP chief, Trivender Singh Rawat, who lost out to him, not only managed to rehabilitate himself in the party nationally, but also showcased his organisational skills, both during the 2014 general elections and recently in Jharkhand.

“He is the leader to watch out for — An RSS man, he has also earned the confidence of Amit Shah,” said a senior BJP leader.

After Teerath Singh Rawat, the leader publicly seen taking on the state government is Ajay Bhatt, as Leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly. “A contest is on between Teerath Singh Rawat and Ajay Bhatt, each trying to emerge as the sole leader who is making things difficult for the state government on the issue of deteriorating law and order situation or tardy disbursement of ex-gratia to the disaster-hit people of the state,” added the BJP leader.

Not to be left out, former Speaker Prakash Pant has opened a front against the state government by filing a PIL maintaining that the Cabinet strength is far more than that permitted by the Constitution.

BS Chuphal has launched a tirade against the state government for ignoring his constituency Didihat. A huge protest was organised by the Uttarakhand BJP in Dehradun. And then, there are organisational men such as Dhan Singh Rawat and Suresh Joshi who too are vying for power, albeit behind the curtains.