Amid Ankita murder outrage, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami's 2nd visit to Delhi in 8 days sparks buzz

Tribune News Service

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, September 27

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami arrived in Delhi today, in his second visit in eight days, setting off speculation over possible political repercussions in the wake of revelations in the case of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, allegedly murdered by the son of a top BJP leader of the state.

In eye of storm

• Dhami under fire for ordering demolition of Pulkit's resort, ‘key evidence lost’
• Also facing flak over UKSSSC paper leak case, ‘irregularities’ in appointments
• The CM, however, said he was to meet Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy in New Delhi

Though Dhami, before leaving for Delhi, said he was to meet Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy for some projects in the state, the buzz is that he had been summoned for an audience with the “top party leaders”.

Sources said not only the BJP’s brass, but the party’s ideological fountainhead RSS was also unhappy with the handling of the Ankita case and the allegations of corruption against the government in a recruitment scam, which had led to widespread protests.

“The central leadership is concerned over the public anger and the resulting perception. The state has not witnessed such an undercurrent since the agitation for separation from Uttar Pradesh,” they said. The outrage over the Ankita murder, with former minister Vinod Arya’s son Pulkit being the main accused, could be the proverbial last straw, the sources said.

While Vinod Arya and his other son Ankit Arya have been expelled from the BJP, Dhami’s detractors are gunning for him. “Rivals have registered complaints against him with the central leadership, which is also aware of the allegations of corruption and favouritism in the recruitments and allocation of contracts,” they said.

The CM is also facing flak for ordering the demolition of Pulkit’s resort (where Ankita was working) and as a result “destroying key evidence in the case”. While questions are being raised why the resort was demolished in such a haste, police officials claim no evidence was lost.

On his part, Dhami has sought the establishment of a fast-track court for speedy justice in the Ankita case. Stating that the safety of “daughters” was the responsibility of the state government, Dhami said strict action had been taken even as Ankita’s mother claimed she was not shown the body before cremation.

As far as the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission recruitment exam leak case was concerned, 41 persons have been arrested so far. Being a border state, Uttarakhand was an important segment in the BJP’s political strategy, the reason why the party wanted the tempers to cool down, sources said, adding a post of Deputy CM could be created to accommodate rival factions.

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