BJP warns cadre against insubordination amid reports of Uttarakhand infighting

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command has sent a terse message to its leaders in poll-bound Uttarakhand that it will brook no indiscipline or insubordination against chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, people aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

Polling for the 70-member Uttarakhand legislative assembly will be held on February 14 and the votes will be counted on March 10.

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According to a party functionary, the message from the BJP leadership comes in the wake of reports that a section of leaders in the state are unhappy with the endorsement of Dhami as the face of the election and his performance from Khatima could come under a cloud.

Dhami is a two-term and sitting MLA from Khatima, having won this seat in both the 2012 and 2017 assembly elections. Udham Singh Nagar, where Dhami’s constituency falls, saw massive agitations during the farmers’ protest against the three central laws.

The party high command, however, has thrown its weight behind Dhami and ensured that the campaign is pivoted around him and there is clear messaging on the ground that there is no rethink on the choice of chief minister in the state post elections.

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The 46-year-old Dhami, who is also the youngest chief minister of the state has already been endorsed as the chief ministerial candidate by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On February 7, during a virtual address, Modi said he is confident of BJP coming to power again under the leadership of Dhami. Union home minister Amit Shah while addressing a public event in the state last year had also made a pointed reference the CM’s performance which was seen as explicit approval.

Referring to how he dealt with the destruction caused by heavy rains, Shah had said, “Relief and rescue operations were launched immediately and not a single pilgrim was allowed to die. When I arrive to take stock of the situation I realise there was hardly any room for me to do anything.”

“When Dhami took over, the state was reeling under the impact of Covid and an overall economic slump. The party wasn’t in great shape either because of the successive changes in leadership and the wrangling between leaders who aspired for the top position. There is also the age-old tussle for power between leaders from the hills and plains. But in his short tenure he has been able to not only take control of administrative issues but also strengthened his position by balancing the aspirations of the young with the expectations of the old,” said a party functionary.

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Dhami, was appointed CM of the hill state in July 2020, after two successive changes at the top. His predecessors Trivendra Singh Rawat and Tirath Singh Rawat served little over four years and four months respectively before the high command picked Dhami as the chief minister. His rise to the top ruffled feathers and some leaders such as Harak Singh Rawat who is now with the Congress, Yashpal Arya and Satpal Maharaj made their displeasure known to the high command.

A second leader said the party has made a concerted effort to promote younger faces as is evident by the average age of lawmakers, legislators and even office bearers at the Centre and in states, which is being seen as a generational shift. “There are many people nursed aspirations for long but since 2014 the party has encouraged younger people to be part of the decision-making process, and this has naturally been met with a little bit of resistance from the older brigade,” the second leader said.

The party is particularly focused on bridging the generational divide, given its part experience in Maharashtra. “The clash of ideas in Maharashtra between the older generation and Devendra Fadnavis led to some senior leaders such as Ekanth Khadse quitting the party fold. Such differences weaken the party,” the second leader said.

The BJP, which won 57 seats in the 70-member assembly, has set itself a target of retaining power by winning at least 60 seats.