DEHRADUN: Setting its sights on an unprecedented third consecutive term, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttarakhand has launched a sophisticated, multi-layered strategy to breach “impregnable” opposition fortresses that have eluded the party for over two decades.
With the 2027 Assembly elections on the horizon, the saffron party has identified 23 “high-priority” seats. These include constituencies where the party either lost by razor-thin margins in 2022 or has failed to open its account since the state’s inception.
To eliminate guesswork, the organisation has institutionalised a rigorous vetting process. “We have identified 23 seats where the margin of victory or defeat was minimal,” said Mahendra Bhatt, BJP state president. “The strategy involves five levels of ground surveys. One is complete; two more are scheduled for March-April, followed by a state-level assessment and a final independent audit by the central leadership.”
The biggest challenge lies in Chakrata. Despite fielding various candidates between 2002 and 2022, the BJP has never tasted victory here. The seat remains a personal stronghold of Congress veteran Pritam Singh. Even during the 2017 “Modi wave”, the BJP fell short by 1,543 votes.
Similarly, in Haridwar district, the Manglore and Piran Kaliyar seats remain elusive. Manglore has alternated between the BSP and the Congress for 25 years, while the Muslim-dominated Piran Kaliyar has consistently backed Congress’s Furkan Ahmed since 2012, resisting all attempts at religious polarisation.
In the Kumaon division, Dharchula stands as a symbol of resistance. The BJP has never won a general Assembly election here. Even in the 2014 by-election, the party could not unseat the Congress. In Haldwani, long dominated by the late Indira Hridayesh and now represented by her son Sumit Hridayesh, the BJP has remained on the margins for 20 years, barring a lone win in 2007.
The party’s internal assessment suggests that bipolar contests in these seats often consolidate the opposition vote. To counter this, the BJP is reportedly working on a plan to encourage multi-cornered contests.
“Our focus on these seats is based on the premise that a triangular contest will clear the path for the BJP,” Bhatt said. “By diversifying the candidate pool and strengthening our booth-level micro-management, we aim to flip these traditional opposition strongholds.”