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Uttarakhand’s growing public discontent poses a serious challenge for the BJP.
Among the five states scheduled for elections early next year, the situation in Uttarakhand is the most worrying for the BJP. The party is quite confident about retaining power in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Manipur. In Punjab, it is attempting to win the election somehow by forming an alliance, although the political landscape there remains unclear. However, the BJP is in a tight spot in Uttarakhand. The central leadership is fully aware that the election battle there is going to be tough. The leadeship knows that the public resentment is directed not at the BJP itself, but at pending issues of deep concern. However, the party is keeping its cards close to its chest regarding Uttarakhand. It is the only state facing elections where the party has appointed neither an in-charge General Secretary nor an Organization Secretary. It is understood that PM Modi himself will make the final decision. National president Nitin Nabin has toured both the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions and submitted his report. With the elections set to take place on schedule in March, it is highly likely that the party will decide on a change of leadership in Uttarakhand during November or December. The BJP has been in power in Uttarakhand for ten years, resulting in significant anti-incumbency against the government. Sources indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will focus on Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand following the successful BRICS summit.
The deteriorating lawand-order situation is the primary cause of discontent in Uttarakhand. The public has frequently taken to the streets over the issue of women’s safety. The agitation surrounding the Ankita Bhandari murder case has not subsided. Following the protests, the Dhami government handed the Ankita Bhandari case over to the CBI, yet her parents are still struggling to find justice. Women’s organisations continue to stage sit-ins and protests. The protest in Chaukhutia was launched to demand improvements in healthcare facilities, and its impact was felt across the entire state. Many men and women lose their lives due to a lack of medical treatment; several cases of maternal deaths during childbirth have also come to light. Indiscriminate felling of trees in the name of promoting tourism has forced the general public in Dehradun and Uttarkashi to take to the streets in protest. Even in a protected area like Lansdowne, hotels have been established following the illegal felling of trees. Large hotels and resorts have sprung up along the banks of the Ganges, leaving them vulnerable to potential major disasters; the situation from Rishikesh to Devprayag is alarming. The expanding business of nightclubs, bars and liquor in ‘Devbhoomi’ has repeatedly exposed the collusion between the police administration and the mafia. Women have taken to the streets to protest against alcohol. Public resentment is so intense that the BJP needs to address these concerns urgently.