DEHRADUN: The opposition Congress has outpaced the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs) for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Uttarakhand.
According to sources within the Uttarakhand Election Commission, the state requires a total of 11,733 agents across 70 assembly seats. While neither party has hit the full mark yet, the Congress has successfully nominated 7,968 agents, compared to the BJP's 7,165.
The district-wise breakdown highlights a fragmented battlefield. In Rudraprayag, the Congress achieved a 100 per cent success rate, appointing agents for all 362 booths, while the BJP followed closely with 359. Similarly, in the high-stakes Haridwar district, the Congress dominated with 1,523 agents against the BJP’s 946 out of 1,715 booths.
However, the BJP maintained its stronghold in the border district of Pithoragarh, achieving a perfect score by appointing agents in all 611 booths, whereas the Congress managed only 211. The ruling party also matched this performance in Champawat, securing 100 per cent of the 344 booths.
The most startling revelation for political observers is the BJP’s failure to open its account in 19 specific assembly constituencies. In these segments, the ruling party has failed to nominate even a single BLA.
The BJP has adopted a distinct stance on the issue of appointing BLAs, dismissing Congress's concerns as "distracting tactics."
"BJP is busy finalizing BLA nominations across various seats. Congress should focus on its own preparations instead of indulging in petty politics," said Mathura Joshi, BJP spokesperson.
The BJP is working on BLA appointments at its own level, Joshi added, implying the party is confident about its strategy.
The Congress leadership has been quick to capitalise on these figures, framing them as a sign of waning organisational strength within the BJP.
Speaking to TNIE, senior Congress leader Amarendra Bisht stated, "The BJP, which prides itself on being the world’s largest party, is unable to even finalise booth agents during the Pre-SIR process. Meanwhile, Congress has surged ahead, ensuring our representatives are present on the ground to safeguard the electoral process."
While the Special Intensive Revision is a routine administrative procedure by the Election Commission to update electoral rolls, the appointment of BLAs is considered the litmus test for a party’s grassroots mobilization. As the revision process intensifies, the BJP faces an uphill task to bridge the 803-agent gap and re-energize its cadre in the 19 "zero-agent" zones.