Dehradun: With polling in Uttarakhand assembly
elections over, the infighting in the state unit of ruling BJP
is now out in the open with Chief Minister BC
Khanduri and his bete noir Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank rushing to
Delhi to lobby with the party`s central leadership.
"Khanduri has already left for New Delhi," a top party
leader said.
Party sources said Khanduri would put his views before the
party high command as he was peeved over reports of alleged
damage done to his poll campaign in Kotdwar seat where he
faced stiff opposition from Congress in the January 30 polls.
Khanduri`s visit came days after former chief minister
Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank too went to the national capital to
appraise the high command about the intra-party squabbles.
A total of 160 BJP leaders and workers have been
expelled during elections so far in Uttarakhand for anti-party
activities.
Bishan Singh Chufal, state BJP President, had yesterday
said that the party has taken cognisance of all anti-party
activities and has asked the district party units to submit
reports in order to take further action.
Nishank, who is contesting from Doiwala seat, had alleged
that his campaign was marred by anti-party activities. Nishank
went to New Delhi to apprise top leadership about the
infighting during elections, including airing of certain
damaging reports by a local TV news channel.
Both the ruling BJP and Congress in Uttarakhand have
expelled rebel leaders during assembly elections. The two
parties have had their share of post-ticket distribution
revolts in over 20 seats each out of the total 70
constituencies.
The BJP had also expelled its four sitting MLAs Kedar
Singh Fonia, Raj Kumar, GL Shah and Anil Nautiyal.
The ruling party, which fielded nearly 36 new faces, faced
a political storm this time by axing nearly 12 of the total 36
sitting MLAs from the poll race in the face of the
anti-incumbency. These also include two cabinet ministers
Khajan Das and Govind Singh Bist, who appeared to have now
fallen in line after showing discontent initially.
The saffron party faced severe crisis in Chamoli
district where all the three seats were contested by rebel
candidates giving the ruling party much headache. From
Badrinath, former minister Fonia fought election as rebel
candidate.
Similarly, on other two seats Tharali and Karanprayag,
party rebels GL Shah and Anil Nautiyal, both Nishank
loyalists, created problem for the ruling party.
PTI
