Pushkar Singh Dhami to be BJP's CM candidate in Uttarakhand

Party insiders told that Prahlad Joshi had also instructed the state party leaders to not indulge in rivalry and issuing public statements against each other. 
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami (File photo | PTI)
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami (File photo | PTI)

DEHRADUN: Pralhad Joshi, in-charge of the BJP’s election committee  for Uttarakhand on Sunday announced that the party will contest next year’s Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, sending a signal to state party leaders to stop fighting with each other.
“We will contest the state Assembly elections under the leadership of CM Pushkar Singh Dhami. The people of Uttarakhand will support us because they know our work,” said Joshi.

State cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat and ousted former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat have been making statements against each other for the last few days. Party insiders told that Joshi had also instructed the state party leaders to not fight with each other.  

Last week, Harak Singh Rawat, state cabinet minister said that he saved ousted Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat (TSR) from being sent to prison by the then chief minister Harish Rawat in year 2014 in ‘Dhaincha Seed Scam’. Responding to this, an enraged Trivendra Singh Rawat had likened Harak Singh Rawat to a donkey. These statements threw open the rift inside the party and has given the opposition enough ammunition to attack it.

A senior party leader said, “Joshi ji has asked the state leadership and other leaders to end the infighting and focus on elections. Strict instructions have been issued to not repeat such instance again.”Joshi and two other BJP leaders have been camping in the state. Apart from internal rivalries, the part also faces a fresh challenge in the state in the form of AAP. 

The BJP is closely watching every move made by the Aam Admi Party. The ruling BJP’s principal concern will be to fend off the challenge from former chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat, who enjoys popular support across the state.  Amid this, Kejriwal’s entry has only added to the concerns. “The Kejriwal-led outfit will most likely field disgruntled leaders from both BJP and Congress. If such leaders enjoy mass support, then they will damage the prospects of both the Congress and the BJP,” said a senior BJP functionary.

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