In the event of hung assembly the independents, MLAs of BSP & UKD will hold key in government formation
Sunday, 20 February 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
With the voting trends predicting a neck to neck fight between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party in the Assembly elections the leadership of both these parties have started keeping an eye on the performance of independents and smaller parties. In the event of hung assembly the independents and candidates winning from the parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) would hold key in the formation of a new government in the state.
It is learnt that both Congress and BJP have started sending their feelers to the independent candidates who are in a position to secure victory from the seats they are contesting. The Congress rebel and independent candidate from Yamunotri Sanjay Dobhal, independent candidate from Kedarnath Kuldeep Rawat, BJP rebel and two time MLA Rajkumar Thukral from Rudrapur, independent candidate from Khanpur Umesh Kumar, UJP leader and former minister Dinesh Dhanai from Tehri and UKD stalwart and former cabinet minister Divakar Bhatt from Devprayag are some names which are said to be giving a tough fight to the candidates of BJP and Congress. After the voting both Congress and BJP are in contact with them as their services could be needed in the case of a hung assembly. Apart from the above-mentioned candidates, the BSP candidates are said to be in good position in Laksar, Manglaur and Khanpur seats of Haridwar and Sitarganj seat of Udham Singh Nagar districts.
The past record of Uttarakhand suggests that barring the elections of 2017 when the BJP riding on anti incumbency and Modi waves won in 57 seats, the contest has always been close in assembly elections. In the first assembly elections held in the year 2002, the Congress party just managed to reach the magic figure in assembly by winning in 36 seats the BJP got 19, BSP seven, UKD four, NCP one and independents three seats in the 70 member house.
In the second assembly elections in the year 2007, BJP won in 34 seats while Congress got 21 seats, the BSP emerged victorious in eight seats, UKD two and independents won in two seats. With the support of independents and UKD the BJP formed the government with the support of independents.
The assembly election of 2012 was the most closely contested election with Congress winning in 32 seats and BJP in 31. The BSP and independents won in three each seats while one seat was won by UKD. The BSP MLAs, independents and the UKD’s Pritam Panwar formed a pressure group called PDF and participated in power in the Congress government for five years.
In absence of any perceptible wave in support of any party this time it appears that the independents and MLAs of smaller parties would be of immense importance in formation of the next government in Uttarakhand.
