UKD to be alternative to Cong, BJP: Airy

Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, March 9

In the run-up to the 2017 Assembly election, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Airy) is aiming at becoming a viable alternative in the state to the BJP and the Congress by uniting all its factions and other regional political outfits.

“We have called our bi-annual general meeting in May this year to discuss a road map for the party and seek support form other regional parties to form an alternative to Opposition parties before the state Assembly elections,” said KS Airy, state president of the party.

Airy said workers of all factions want to make the party strong, but are not doing due to egos of their respective leaders.

“We have decided to invite all party leaders who have participated in statehood struggle and have been sidelined after national parties came to the centre stage in the state,” said the party leader.

Airy said leaders from other regional outfits such as the Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP), which have same agenda for state development and political activism, have been invited to find a possibility to form an alternative against the mainstream parties in the 2017 elections.

United party hopes to do well in 2017 Assembly poll

Haridwar: With the Kashi Singh Airi and Trivendra Singh Pawar groups of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) uniting and talks on to get on board the third faction led by former state minister Diwakar Bhatt, party leaders are hoping to replicate the 2002 state Assembly election results, wherein the party won four seats.

UKD central secretary (labour cell) Uday Ram Semwal at a meeting organised by the city unit at Ranipur recently said the long-term vision of the party, its well-wishers, statehood agitators and residents of the state for unification of the two major factions had been realised.

“We need to remain united, work for the people, raise local issues and expose ill-governance by the BJP and the Congress in the state. For the past 15 years, development has not been as per the expectations of statehood agitators and residents. National party leaders, Chief Ministers, ministers, and legislators have been busy misusing their positions and power. Now, with the UKD is in a position to put up a united front, hope of all-round development in hills and plains has once again brightened,” said Uday Ram.

UKD youth wing city president Lalit Mamgain emphasised on the need for expansion of the party base and said the party should take lessons from the Aam Aadmi Party’s success in the Delhi Assembly elections and prepared for the state Assembly elections in 2017.

He said new members, particularly youth residing in the state and outside, should be enrolled as members of the party. There should be use of the social media and communicate through mobile phones and Internet applications such as whatsapp and facebook, for which, a special IT cell should be formed in the party, he added.

Organisational central secretary Anil Pokhriyal said they would ask both Kashi Singh Airy and Trivendra Singh Pawar to hold a party convention in Haridwar district, as this would boost the party’s prospects in the district too.

He emphasised on the need to form a new district committee in all 13 districts of the state, with emphasis on loyal activists to be given party organisational posts. He urged the lone UKD minister in the Congress-Progressive Democratic Alliance coalition government Preetam Singh Pawar to assist in strengthening of the party’’’’s organisational cadre and base. — TNS