- UKD leadership confused over alliance with BJP

By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 29 July: The new UKD Chief, Trivendra Singh Panwar, has the image of a maverick. He has held the post in the past, too, and has the image of a hardliner who openly opposed the party’s decision to align with the BJP. Now that he has taken over as UKD Central President, he still appears to be intent on continuing the same approach towards, both, BJP and Congress.
Party insiders claim that the pressure on senior party leaders like Diwakar Bhatt, Kashi Singh Airi and BD Raturi was bound to increase now to withdraw support from the Nishank Government. It, however, remains to be seen when the party finally calls it quits on its relationship with BJP. Sources claimed that while Panwar has been a very vocal opponent of the continuing relationship with the BJP, he is very close to the only minister UKD has in the government, Diwakar Bhatt. Bhatt is learnt to be in favour of continuing to share power with BJP and may be able to prevail upon Panwar to let the partnership survive for another year, at least. Sources claimed that Panwar owed his current position to open support and lobbying by Diwakar Bhatt. Bhatt is learnt to have played upon Airi to withdraw his candidature for the party chief’s post. Therefore, the political analysts claim that UKD may continue to share power with BJP for another year. However, most insiders believe that while there is hardly any possibility at present of BJP and UKD of reaching an understanding to contest the next assembly elections jointly, the possibility of reaching a post poll alliance remains.
Sources within the party admit that the party workers, as well the leadership, are divided over the issue. The party is well aware that BJP does not need its support to remain in power, as it has clear majority on its own in the state. Therefore, by withdrawing the support, the party leadership can hope to retain whatever mass support it is left with. Party insiders believe that the party’s decision to ally with BJP and share power with it has not gelled with the core supporters of the party. The core supporters believe that UKD had to compromise on its basic issues such as making Gairsen the state capital in place of Dehradun, reserving government jobs for locals and amendment of the forest act to suit the local people’s needs. It is widely believed and accepted within the party that by continuing to share power with BJP in the state, UKD is bound to damage its prospects for the next Assembly elections. While well aware that the party had already been losing ground in the state (it had won just 4 seats in 2002 and 3 in the 2007 Assembly Elections), they still believe that damage control can only be done by withdrawing support from BJP Government. However, a faction within the party is ready to accept that the party had lost its relevance after the formation of Uttarakhand and, in order to survive, the party has to move forward with different issues. Issues that appear to be dogmatic may not win it enough support to remain relevant in state politics.