LS election 2024: Prestige of CM Dhami, former CMs and many senior leaders at stake
Tuesday, 04 JUNE 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The prestige of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, former CMs Harish Rawat and Trivendra Singh Rawat and other senior leaders of the State is at stake in the five Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttarakhand, the result of which will be declared on Tuesday. Even as the ruling BJP contested the election on the face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Uttarakhand CM Dhami was at the forefront of the electoral battle for the LS election in the State. The CM campaigned extensively in all the five seats of the State and addressed about 100 election meetings and road-shows in all parts of the State in support of BJP candidates. A clean sweep in the elections will give a major boost to his image and make him more powerful vis a vis his political opponents particularly in the BJP. However a loss in even one or two constituencies will weaken his position in the party. In Haridwar, where former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat is contesting as BJP candidate against Virendra Singh Rawat of Congress, the prestige of two other former CMs, Harish Rawat of Congress and Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank is also at stake. A loss in Haridwar will put a question mark on the political future of Trivendra Singh Rawat who was in political wilderness after he was suddenly removed from the post of the CM in March 2020. On the other hand the loss of his son Virendra Singh Rawat in Haridwar will push Harish Rawat towards political retirement as his grip on the party will lose further. Nishank might not be contesting the elections this time as the party decided not to field him from Haridwar from where he won in 2014 and 2019, the central leadership of BJP will certainly question him in case of defeat of the party candidate. The election outcome of Pauri LS seat will help in shaping the political future of national spokesperson of BJP Anil Baluni ( the BJP candidate) and former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Ganesh Godiyal ( the Congress candidate). Political observers point out that a win from Garhwal will make Baluni more powerful and indulgent in the politics of the State. In case of a NDA government in the centre, Baluni with his connections with central leaders can become a minister. On the other hand, a win will give a major boost to the political career of Godiyal and he can become the face of Congress party in Uttarakhand.
The election outcome is also very crucial for the political future of union minister of State Ajay Bhatt contesting from Nainital- Udham Singh Nagar constituency as BJP candidate. Similarly another loss from Almora LS constituency can end the political career of veteran Congress leader Pradeep Tamta who is contesting against Ajay Tamta of BJP.
The LS election outcome will also be crucial for the State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt and State Congress president Karan Mahara. Interestingly both were appointed by their respective party leadership after the assembly elections of 2022 as the leaders of State units of parties. In the assembly elections while Bhatt faced defeat from Badrinath seat, Mahara lost from his traditional Ranikhet assembly. Pressure will be on Bhatt even if BJP loses a couple of seats while a victory in a couple of seats for Congress will enhance the political stature of Mahara within the Congress party.
The prestige of cabinet ministers Satpal Maharaj and Dhan Singh Rawat is at stake in Garhwal LS seat. Similarly the result in Tehri LS seat will be a test for cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi and Subodh Uniyal and former PCC president Pritam Singh. The election outcome in Haridwar LS seat will also measure political stature of cabinet minister Premchand Agarwal, senior BJP leader Madan Kaushik and AICC secretary Qazi Nizamuddin. Similarly the result will be crucial for leader of opposition Yashpal Arya, cabinet minister Rekha Arya and Saurabh Bahuguna.
