The road ahead for BJP is full of challenges after the defeat in the by-elections. After the dissent in the Uttar Pradesh BJP, resentment within the party in the neighbouring Uttarakhand, which had previously been kept under control, is now surfacing. This shift was initiated by former MP and former Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat.
The situation in Uttarakhand is starting to resemble the unrest seen in Uttar Pradesh. The internal conflicts within the Uttarakhand BJP regarding Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami have intensified. Dhami, who was appointed by former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, is now facing growing controversy and criticism.
BJP may have won all five seats in the Lok Sabha elections, but the margin of victory decreased significantly. The party lost the by-elections of Manglaur and Badrinath. The lack of coordination and tussle between Chief Minister Dhami and State President Mahendra Bhatt is cited as the reason for the setback. Sources said the high command may soon summon the state leaders to Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi can also ask for a report.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has disappointed his own constituents with his recent statements and decisions. He has also been criticised for his handling of regional issues. The by-elections were Dhami’s first major test. The BJP lost the Manglaur seat, which has a significant Muslim population. The defeat in Badrinath sent a stronger message.
Dhami and Bhatt were confident of their success, but Congress dedicated significant resources to the Badrinath seat, resulting in a shocking defeat for BJP.
The people of Badrinath effectively challenged the political manoeuvring at play.
Uttarakhand has a history of political instability and party-switching, with many BJP ministers currently having origins in Congress. The state’s small size has historically fostered a political environment rife with corruption, with liquor and mining mafias influencing successive governments. The Ankita Bhandari murder case, which emerged under Dhami’s leadership, cast a shadow over the BJP government’s effectiveness. This case also became a major issue during the Lok Sabha elections. Despite these challenges, the party managed to secure Lok Sabha seats largely due to Prime Minister Modi’s strong personal image.
Dhami became the first Chief Minister of the state despite losing election from Khatima. But the high command, considering his clean image, made him the CM again and made him contest the by-election. In a way, Delhi gave the message that Dhami is the leader of the future. All the senior leaders were sidelined. In the Lok Sabha elections, former Chief Ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Tirath Singh Rawat were denied tickets.
After Dhami became the Chief Minister, Garhwal was completely neglected. Dhami is from Kumaon and the central minister Ajay Tamta is also from Kumaon.
The Opposition alleges that there is discrimination in terms of development in Garhwal. Whereas in Uttarakhand, which has 70 assembly seats, 42 seats come from Garhwal. There are three Lok Sabha seats from Garhwal and two from Kumaon. Due to the fear of Delhi’s blessings on Dhami, no leader was ever able to speak openly. But after the results of the Lok Sabha elections and the defeat in the by-elections, the resentment of the leaders started coming out in the changed circumstances.
Former CM Tirath Singh Rawat in the BJP working committee meeting reprimanded the BJP leadership and Dhami in gestures. He gave a message in a way that imposing will not work and it is not known when the chair will be lost. The more questions Rawat raised, the more leaders clapped. Experts believe that the high command should intervene soon in the matter of Uttarakhand. CM Dhami has been surrounded by controversies since the foundation stone laying of Kedarnath temple in Delhi and the speeches given there.
Since the formation of Uttarakhand, Narayan Dutt Tiwari is the only Chief Minister who has completed a full five-year term. No other Chief Minister has managed to serve a full term. The BJP has always faced internal conflicts, and tensions between Kumaon and Garhwal regions have persisted. Dhami was appointed as Chief Minister in the final months leading up to the elections. Prior to Dhami, Trivendra Singh Rawat and Tirath Singh Rawat served as Chief Ministers. Although Dhami was in office during the 2022 assembly elections, he lost. While the BJP won two consecutive elections thanks to Prime Minister Modi’s popularity, the current situation has become increasingly concerning.