Friday, 19 November 2021 | Gajendra Singh Negi | Dehradun
Development debate
Being one of the five states where assembly elections are scheduled early next year Uttarakhand is drawing the attention of top leaders of all the political parties. In their recent visits to the state Prime Minister Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda and home minister Amit Shah have tried to set the agenda of the ruling party for the upcoming elections around development. The top troika of BJP harped about the projects such as the all weather road, Rishikesh- Karnprayag railway line and others where huge investment is being done by the union government as a testimony of saffron party’s commitment for the development of the Himalayan state. Shah even sought five more years for the BJP from the people of Uttarakhand so that the state leapfrogs on the road of development. Taking cue from his top leadership, young CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has made development as a catchphrase of his campaign and is asserting that with the double engine at work Uttarakhand would be catapulted among top states. This juggernaut of saffron outfit however has got a severe jolt from the poor rankings the state got in the public affairs index 2021 released by the Public Affairs Centre recently.
Oldies Alarmed
The ‘Young state Young leadership’ slogan coined by the BJP to enter the hustings in the forthcoming assembly elections under the leadership of CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has unnerved many seasoned campaigners of the party. They fear that the central leadership of the party- which changed two chief ministers in quick succession in order to tide over anti-incumbency in a state known to change government after every five years- would not mind changing candidates for the assembly elections as well. With a young CM at helm of things who has been given a virtual carte blanche in selection of candidates, the seniors know it too well that he would prefer a young team over a bunch of grey heads. In such a scenario many senior leaders of BJP have said to have made up their minds for hanging their boots while some of them are promoting the names of their protégés or progenies for all important ticket of the party for assembly election.
Recognition Ruined
A foolishness on part of the authorities ensured that the long wait for start of admissions in the Government Medical College Almora gets longer by one more year. After making necessary preparations for the proposed visit of the National Medical Commission (NMC) for the all important recognition, the college administration was eagerly waiting for the visit of the NMC team. When the team failed to arrive till the last date of November 15, frantic inquiries were made which revealed that while the college had deposited the required fees the application form for NMC’s recognition was not submitted by the department concerned. It was found that those assigned with the task goofed up while filling the application form which resulted it’s non submission. While the government is obviously fuming over the mess up, cynics are pointing out that the unsavoury controversy involving a female minister and the former head of the college which ended in shunting out of the latter could be the reason behind the whole affair.
