Pushkar Singh Dhami appointed new CM, but PM Modi’s charisma alone can save saffron party in Uttarakhand.
New Delhi: The BJP had to take the resignation of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat in what is being seen as its political move to put Mamata Banerjee in a spot in Bengal. Rawat is said to have cited that he cannot continue as CM as an election is no longer possible under Section 151 of the Representation of People Act.
Now, Mamata Banerjee is in a similar position as Rawat having become the chief minister despite not being an MLA due to her loss in Nandigram. Banerjee, too, needs to get elected and the MLA from Bhowanipore has resigned to make way for her. But the calculation of the BJP is that no byelection could be possible due to the corona pandemic this year, a situation that will make matters difficult for Mamata Banerjee as she has to be an MLA before 4 November. So, with this being the case, BJP will not miss the chance to use the sacrifice of Rawat to mount pressure on Mamata Banerjee to do what the Uttarakhand CM did.
Meanwhile, BJP strategists are at fault for whatever “unfavourable” political development took place in the hill state. Secondly, it is also a setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Of all the CMs of their choice over the last seven years, only Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar could somehow retain his post. Jharkhand and Maharashtra gave a setback to BJP. A new face was appointed CM in Assam after elections. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has definitely achieved the place of prominence. The upcoming Assembly elections will prove how capable other CMs are.
Now, it will be a daunting and challenging task for PM Modi to lead the BJP to victory in Uttarakhand. However, his charisma in the hill states continues to be like what it was. Credit will go to Modi’s charisma only if BJP returns to power there. Congress as an opposition is quite weak in Uttarakhand, with no significant face existing from the party. If at all, there are a couple of influential leaders in Congress, they are busy in faction fighting.
But BJP was also facing internal problems in the hill state, which resulted in the saffron party losing grip. In fact, the beginning was not good. BJP erred in terms of decision-making since the state came into being. In what turned out to be a wrong decision, Nityanand Swami was handed over the top post, while he was not from the hill region. Later, he was changed in a hurry when questions on his appointment were raised. Then, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari was brought in, and he was also removed even before he could understand the system.
This was followed by Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank being given the responsibility one by one. But changes happened at the same speed. And the tradition of change is still going on in the BJP in the state. There is of course a dearth of efficient leaders in Uttarakhand. Most of those who get power fall into the trap of mafias. As a result, they get involved in one controversy or the other.
The politics of splitting Congress also did not benefit BJP, as a dozen Congress leaders joined the saffron party. What was worse was that half of them were made ministers. Trivendra Singh Rawat, who was picked by PM Modi and Shah, could not succeed just because of these imported leaders. Rawat could not keep all of them happy, with the result that complaints were sent to the high command.
The central leaders close to high command did the rest of the job. Finally, Trivendra had to be sacked. Then came a surprising and less experienced leader Tirath Singh Rawat. He started focusing on leaders who were behind the removal of Trivendra. So, the party leaders got upset with him.
Those running the government from Delhi did the remaining work. Tirath was being guided by even junior leaders in Sangh and BJP. Tirath was aware that even if he leads the party in elections, he will not be repeated as CM.
The Bengal defeat and the corona crisis also played their part. If BJP had won Bengal, then no constitutional crisis would arise. Tirath’s victory would have been ensured then. Even now, if the high command wished it could have ensured victory for Tirath. But after tasting defeat in Bengal, the high command is moving too cautiously. A report from Tirath’s advisor about the CM’s position in the state was worrisome. There was no option but to change the Chief Minister. Now, another dark horse Pushkar Singh Dhami has been appointed the new Uttarakhand Chief Minister. Analysts say Dhami can hardly do anything substantial to strengthen the party in the state for the upcoming elections. It is abundantly clear that BJP is now banking on Modi’s popularity. BJP can win Uttarakhand only because of Modi’s charisma and politics of polarisation in Uttar Pradesh.