Shah may decide next Leader of Opposition by March end

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 16

The BJP has a strong leadership in the state but it is full of factionalism. It needs to get its act together for the next Assembly elections.

This and many other issues, including the next Leader of the Opposition and the blue print of the strategy for the 2017 Assembly poll, formed the part of the discussion of the core group unit of Uttarakhand with BJP president Amit Shah.

Sources said Shah is expected to be in Dehradun by March-end to take the final call on the name of the next Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.

Notably, incumbent Ajay Bhatt was recently elected the president of the Uttarakhand BJP and as per the party rule, one man can hold only one position.

Meanwhile, the possibility of one of the five MPs, which include three former BJP chief ministers Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, along with Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah and Ajay Tamta, to be accommodated in the union Cabinet to strengthen the state representation, cannot be ruled out.

Sources said Shah was apprised of the fact that Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s charisma was overpowering the BJP which was divided into various groups headed by party stalwarts — three former chief ministers and others.

The meeting was attended by all five MPs, who along with the state BJP president, state in charge Shyam Jaju and local leaders Anil Balooni and Satpal Maharaj, presented a report card of activities of the state unit to the party president.

Notably, one of the key agenda items was to discuss the name of the chief ministerial candidate of the party for the upcoming elections.

According to the leaders, the party high command will to take the final call on the issue. They said the BJP would fight the coming elections as one force to oust the “corrupt” Congress government. “Our first priority is to chalk out a strategy and carry it forward to ensure a convincing win for the BJP,” they say.

Meanwhile, quelling rumours that BJP was in touch with members of the ruling Congress to “topple” the state government. Party sources said the BJP would rather win the elections and form the government than rely on “underhand measures”.