Implications of handing over the command of BJP organization from Madan Kaushik to Mahendra Bhatt in Uttarakhand

The central leadership of BJP has handed over the command of the party organization in the state from Madan Kaushik to Mahendra Bhatt. Bhatt has been an MLA twice. He is recognized in the party as a grassroot worker. Now they face the challenge of repeating the best performance of BJP in Haridwar three-tier Panchayat elections, next year’s civic polls and Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Kaushik, who emerged as an influential minister and spokesperson of the government during the time of Trivendra Singh Rawat, has been an unbeatable MLA from Haridwar city assembly seat. At that time, there was talk of achieving caste balance through them. Later when Pushkar Singh Dhami was brought in, this balance was defined on the basis of caste as well as regional. Dhami is a Thakur of Kumaon Mandal and Kaushik belongs to Garhwal Mandal. In Uttarakhand, political parties are not able to come out of the caste and region lines, while the parameters of the common voter are more rational.
When the assembly elections were contested under Dhami’s leadership, the BJP got a comfortable majority with 47 seats. However, 10 MLAs came less than the previous assembly. When his supporters in the organization were decorating Kaushik’s head for victory, his opponents drew the attention of the party leadership to his home district. Out of 11 assembly seats in Haridwar district, BJP could win only three. In the previous assembly, eight BJP MLAs used to sit from Haridwar. The loss of five sitting MLAs in the state president’s home district became a matter of concern for the BJP leaders, but the party leadership avoided quick action.
It is worth mentioning that the two losing MLAs had blamed Kaushik for their defeat in front of the media and duly complained to the party leadership. One of them is very close to Chief Minister Dhami. If these complaints were investigated or not, what were the results? Nobody knows. Here in order to establish a better political balance in the state, the demand for making Garhwali the state president started rising within the party. His opponents also raised the issue of Kaushik’s anti-Garhwal image. Actually Kaushik, being from Haridwar district, comes from Garhwal division, but is not a Garhwali Brahmin. Referring to the election results, it was also proved that as the state president, Kaushik could only save his own seat in Haridwar, the Congress also occupied adjacent seats.
After this prolonged election discussion within the BJP, the party high command decided to hand over this responsibility to Mahendra Bhatt instead of retaining Madan Kaushik as the state president. The change of leadership of the state organization in BJP took place naturally, peacefully and spontaneously. If anyone was uncomfortable with this change, it was Congress’s big leader and former Chief Minister Harish Rawat. On the appointment of the new president, some BJP workers distributed laddus in Haridwar, Harda got angry. He said that Kaushik is a senior leader of BJP and BJP came to power only after fighting elections under his leadership. It is wrong to distribute laddus by BJP workers when they are removed. Not only this, he also gave Kaushik a certificate of being a fighting leader. Also reminded that when he was the Chief Minister and Kaushik the Leader of the Opposition, he harassed his government both inside and outside the House on the basis of logic and facts.
Barring those who understand Harda’s politics, it is natural for the rest of the common people to be blown away by his candor and political neutrality. Many sensible Congress leaders say that Harda is in the mood to play stakes again in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. In such a situation, what is wrong if Kaushik and his fans get some sympathy. Harda, who himself lost from Lalkuan seat, was successful in getting his daughter Anupama Rawat to win by defeating sitting MLA of BJP from Haridwar Rural.
Even when Trivendra Singh Rawat was the Chief Minister, Harish Rawat used to tweet occasionally in his praise. This heartfelt act of Harda is old. Only those who know him well tell that if even close ones feel threatened, then they do not know when they bite on him. Opponents also do not hesitate to praise if it is convenient.