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Tag: BJP

  • Profile: From pracharak to CM, Trivendra Singh Rawat travelled a long way

    By PTI
    DEHRADUN: From an obscure RSS `pracharak’ to the chief minister of Uttarakhand — it has been quite a journey for Trivendra Singh Rawat who had to quit the top office on Tuesday ahead of next year’s state assembly polls, following a “collective decision” by the party.

    Sworn in as CM on March 18, 2017 when the BJP stormed to power after winning 57 out of 70 seats, he had just nine days left to complete four years of his tenure when he had to call it quits.

    At the press conference soon after his resignation, Rawat described himself as a man with humble beginnings who never imagined that the party will give him the honour of serving Uttarakhand as its chief minister.

    “The rise of an ordinary man like me to the top office is something that can happen only in a party like the BJP,” he said.

    In the 2017 election, Rawat won the Doiwala seat for the third time, wresting it from the Congress which had bagged it in a bypoll in 2014.

    He defeated his rival by 24,869 votes.

    The highlights of his term as chief minister were granting Gairsain in Chamoli district the summer capital status and the ordinance that gave co-ownership rights to women in their husband’s ancestral property.

    The ouster from the CM’s post was sudden and rather unceremonious.

    Exactly what triggered it is still not known.

    But resentment against him has surfaced now and then with some MLAs even writing to the party’s central leadership, complaining that they were not being heard.

    Rawat was born in 1960 in a family where serving in the armed forces was a tradition — his father Pratap Singh Rawat was in Garhwal Rifles.

    Young Trivendra studied at a school with mud walls in his native village of Khairasain in Pauri Garhwal district.

    Though average in studies, he had a keen interest in social and political affairs from an early age.

    Impressed with the Sangh’s ideology, he joined the RSS when he was just 19.

    Six years later he was appointed an RSS pracharak for Dehradun city.

    After being actively involved with the RSS for about 14 years, Rawat became the BJP’s state-level organisation secretary.

    He also took party in the agitation for statehood for Uttarakhand and was arrested several times.

    In 2002, he was elected from Doiwala, in the state’s first assembly elections in 2002.

    He won the seat again in 2007 and was made the state’s agriculture minister.

    On the strength of his organisational skills, Rawat was made the party’s national secretary in 2013.

    His successful stint in that capacity earned him the post of co-incharge of party affairs in Uttar Pradesh just a year later.

    He is the ninth and the youngest of his siblings.

    One of his brothers is the post master of the post office at Khairasain village.

    Another brother grows aromatic plants on a piece of land near Jaiharikhal.

    Rawat keeps visiting his village now and then to relish millet (manduwa) rotis, his brother Veerendra says.

    The former CM is a post graduate in Journalism from Garhwal University’s Srinagar campus.

  • BJP to meet Wednesday to pick Trivendra Rawat’s replacement; multiple names in consideration

    By PTI
    DEHRADUN: Names of at least half a dozen leaders, including Dhan Singh Rawat, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Satpal Maharaj, are doing the rounds to replace Trivendra Singh Rawat, who resigned as the chief minister of Uttarakhand on Tuesday.

    Though Trivendra Singh Rawat’s substitute will be decided at a state legislature party meeting at the BJP headquarters here on Wednesday under the watch of party national vice-president and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, political circles are abuzz with speculations.

    Sources said state minister Dhan Singh Rawat has emerged as a frontrunner to be the next chief minister.

    A man known for his polite ways, 48-year-old Dhan Singh, a resident of Paithani village in Pauri district, is said to be close to the outgoing chief minister.

    Singh became an MLA for the first time in 2017.

    Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj is also being looked at as a prominent contender.

    A former Congress heavyweight, Maharaj joined the BJP in 2014 after losing the race for chief ministership to Harish Rawat.

    Maharaj is an MLA from Chaubattakhal in Pauri district.

    He is also a spiritual guru having admirers across the country.

    The 69-year-old had been a Congress MP from Pauri in the past.

    Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is another contender for the post.

    A former chief minister, Nishank is an MP from Haridwar.

    He was also a hill development minister in undivided Uttar Pradesh.

    The name of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari is also doing the rounds.

    Koshyari had held the Uttarkhand chief minister’s post briefly after Nityanand Swami.

    He has also represented the state both in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

    Names of BJP national spokesperson Anil Baluni and former state BJP president Ajay Bhatt are also in circulation.

    Baluni (50) is currently a Rajya Sabha member and his proximity with the central party leadership may help him get to the top office in the state.

    Bhatt represents the Nainital constituency in the Lok Sabha.

    He had defeated former chief minister Harish Rawat in Nainital in the 2019 general elections.

  • Trinamool or BJP? As battle for ‘Poriborton’ heats up in Bengal, pollsters divided over outcome

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:   As the Bengal electoral battle heats up, pollsters are divided on whether the state will bring back ‘Didi’ or will see a saffron surge this time.

    Various pre-poll surveys have predicted different outcomes.

    While ABP-C-Voter and Times Now-C-Voter surveys have given edge to the ruling TMC, Hyderabad-based research agency People’s Pulse has predicted ‘comfortable’ win for the BJP. 

    The TMC is likely to retain power for the third consecutive term but with a slightly reduced majority, said the opinion polls conducted by Times Now and ABP in partnership with C-Voter.

    The Times Now survey projected 146-162 seats for Mamata’s party in the 294-member Assembly, down from the 211 seats it had won in 2016.

    People’s Pulse, on the other hand, said in its report ‘Mood for Poriborton: West Bengal’ that BJP is going to win quite comfortably, its organisational weaknesses notwithstanding. 

    The report predicted an edge for the BJP on nearly 160 seats, primarily on account of the  undercurrent of anti-incumbency sentiments running across the state of which the saffron party will be the default beneficiary.

    However, the surveys by the TV news channels predicted that the BJP, which had bagged just three seats in the last Assembly elections, will be the prime challenger to the TMC.

    As per the Times Now opinion poll, the saffron party is expected to grow in terms of the number of seats and vote percentage with a seat share between 99 and115.

    On the contrary, during the survey by People’s Pulse, the field narratives revealed an intense desire for change.

    “Therefore, issues like leadership, candidate profile, organisational presence or weaknesses don’t appear to reverse the dynamics that we witnessed until December 2020,” the report states.

    The report pointed out that as far as leadership factor is concerned, the relatively better image of the CM is eclipsed by the poor image of her party leaders. 

    “Her image won’t neutralise the bitterness that majority on the ground nurture on account of systematic battering by her regime. People’s everyday experience far outweighs the managerial effort by marketing agencies to manage politics…Bengal is witnessing the wind of change for sure,” the report concluded.

  • History of changing Uttarakhand CMs repeats itself, experts call BJP’s new move a gamble 

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN:  Changing chief ministers midway through a term has not helped any party in Uttarakhand. Analysts are calling the BJP’s latest move a gamble.

    Dehradun-based political analyst Yogesh Kumar said: “Apart from ND Tiwari, no CM has been able to complete five years, either due to circumstances or intervention of the central leadership. Common factor is that both BJP and Congress failed to make electoral gains they expected by changing the CM. It’s a big gamble by BJP, with less than a year to go for Assembly elections.”

    Only one of the eight CMs in the state completed five years in office. It was the late ND Tiwari from 2002-07.

    After first CM Nityanand Swami died in 2001 having completed 354 days, BJP’s Bhagat Singh Koshyari occupied office for 122 days. Congress won in 2002 and Tiwari’s reign started.

    In March 2012, BJP’s Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri took charge before being removed after two years and 111 days. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ was made CM to regain lost ground.

    He was removed after two years and 75 days and Khanduri was brought back with elections slated after six months.

    BJP lost by one seat and Congress formed the government with the help of other MLAs. In 2014, Congress removed Vijay Bahuguna and brought in Harish Rawat.

    With a ninth CM to be appointed soon, history seems to be repeating itself.

    “The situation reflects what happened in 2011. That resulted in BJP’s loss as Congress formed the government. Maybe BJP is confident of breaking the doomed pattern,” said political expert Kirankant Verma.

  • Haryana: Day before no-confidence vote, JJP MLA Babli says he stands with farmers

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: A day before the Haryana assembly takes up a no-confidence motion against the BJP-JJP government, JJP MLA Devender Singh Babli on Tuesday said he stands with protesting farmers but added that he alone could not take a decision and it was for his party to decide on walking out of the ruling alliance.

    Asked about his party issuing a whip to its MLAs for their compulsory presence in the House on Wednesday and his stand on the no-confidence motion, Babli said, “When the party has issued whip, willingness or non-willingness is not the question, one has to go by what the party has decided.”

    On farmer leaders spearheading the stir against the Centre’s new farm laws requesting all MLAs to support the no-confidence motion, Babli said, “If I alone take a stand, will farmers get justice? The voice I am raising in favour of farmers by being a member of the House, will I be able to do that when my party expels me for taking a different stand.”

    Babli, who was interacting with reporters after the end of the day’s proceedings in the assembly, said, “You should understand. Entire party should withdraw support, Dushyant (Chautala) should take a step if this issue (farmers) is not being resolved. All (JJP) MLAs should come out (of the alliance).”

    He said during party legislature group meetings in the past Deputy Chief Minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala had been telling them the farmers issue will be resolved.

    Asked why Chautala is not listening to his MLAs when majority of them have openly come out in support of farmers, Babli replied, “Don’t you know that? He thinks he can get more benefits for the farmer by being part of the government.”

    To another question, he said, “I have come in support of farmers and even today I have the same stand. Earlier too, I had said the situation wherein ruling party legislators are facing opposition from farmers in villages is not good and this issue should be resolved.”

    Talking to reporters after the day’s proceedings in the state assembly ended on Tuesday evening, former chief minister and Congress leader B S Hooda reiterated, “The no-confidence motion will let people know which MLA stands with the government and which MLA stands with farmers.”

    He said the party needed to move a no-confidence motion because the BJP-JJP government has lost public confidence and the coalition government, betraying public opinion, is taking anti-people decisions one after the other.

    When asked that opposition did not have the numbers on their side, Hooda quipped, “But that does not mean opposition will not play its role.”

    With the Congress’s no-confidence motion against the BJP-JJP government set to be taken up in the Haryana Assembly on Wednesday, the ruling BJP-JJP as well as main the opposition party have issued whips to their respective members for their compulsory presence in the House.

    In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, currently having an effective strength of 88 members, the ruling BJP has 40 members, the JJP 10 and the Congress 30.

    Seven are Independents, five of whom are supporting the government, while one member is of the Haryana Lokhit Party, who has also extended support to the government.

  • No confidence motion against BJP-JJP govt in Haryana Assembly tomorrow

    By ANI
    CHANDIGARH: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jannayank Janta Party (JJP) have asked their MLAs to be present in the House tomorrow and “support the stand of the government against the no-confidence motion”.

    Kanwar Pal, Chief whip of BJP Legislature Party asks party MLAs to be present in the House on 10th March.

    Bharat Bhushan Batra, chief whip of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on Tuesday issued a whip to party MLAs to be present in the House on Wednesday (March 10) to support No-Confidence Motion against the Manohar Lal Khattar government.

    ALSO READ: No changes to be made in rules and norms of reservation for SC, BC in govt jobs, says Haryana CM Khattar

    “Hon’ble Members of CLP, Haryana are informed that No-Confidence Motion against the Government shall be listed on 10th March, 2021 in the business of the House. I issue whip, that you must ensure your presence in the House on 10th March, 2021 at 10.00 am positively and support the vote of No Confidence,” read a note from Bharat Bhushan Batra.

    Members are advised not to leave the House without the prior permission of CLP Leader, it said.

    Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda had said that his party also plans to bring many “Adjournment” and “Calling Attention” motions to draw the attention of the government to the multitude of problems faced by the people of the state.

    “The Congress is going to bring no-confidence motion, Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee bill, many adjournments and calling attention motion against the government. We will seek answers on issues such as farmers’ neglect, rising unemployment, changes in domicile regulations, rising crime, paper leaks, liquor and registry scams,” he said.

  • Uttarakhand: Change of guard curse for the ruling party?

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: The change of Chief Minister midway in Uttarakhand either by circumstances or by the intervention of central leadership has not been fruitful for either the Indian National Congress and the Bhartiya Janta Party in the state.

    However, political analysts have touted this move as a ‘big gamble’ on the part of the BJP. 

    Yogesh Kumar, a political analyst based in Dehradun says, “Unfortunately apart from ND Tiwari no Chief Minister has been able to complete 5-year tenure either due to circumstances or due to intervention of the central leadership. The common factor here is that both- the BJP and Congress have failed to make any electoral gains they hoped for by changing the CM. It’s a big gamble for the BJP with less than one year to state assembly elections.”

    Only one out of a total 8 Chief Minister’s in the hill state have completed a 5-year tenure in the office. Except for the late ND Tiwari (2002-07), not one CM has completed their five-year tenure. 

    READ|Uttarakhand CM Rawat’s resignation an eyewash to hide govt’s failures: Congress

    Following the death of CM Nityanand Swami in 2001 after 354 days in the office, Bhagat Singh Koshyari of the BJP was made the CM who remained in office for 122 days till 2002.

    The BJP lost state assembly elections to Congress in the year 2002. 

    In March 2002, ND Tiwari of Congress became CM of the state and was the only CM to complete his tenure and remained in the office till March 7, 2007.

    In March 2012, Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri of the BJP took charge as CM who was removed by the party after 2 years 111 days to bring in Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ to gain the lost ground of popularity.

    Later, in September 2011 Nishank was removed after 2 years and 75 days in the office and Khanduri was brought in for upcoming elections due just six months. 

    The BJP suffered defeat by a slim margin of one seat and Congress was able to form the government with the help of other MLAs including independents in 70 member state legislative assembly. 

    With Trivendra Singh Rawat being the latest to leave after almost 4-year tenure and 9th CM to be appointed within a day or two, history seems to be repeating itself, said experts.

    Kirankant Verma, another political commentator from Haridwar said, “Current situation very much reflects what happened in 2011. That resulted in BJP’s loss as Congress was able to form the government. However, the loss was just by one seat with BJP getting 31 and Congress getting 32 seats. Maybe this time the BJP is confident of achieving the desired number and break the doomed pattern.”

    In the year 2014, the central leadership of Congress decided to remove Vijay Bahuguna to bring in Harish Rawat. Later in 2017, Congress suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the BJP.

    The BJP got 57 seats in the state assembly leaving Congress with just 11. 

    Dinesh Mansera, a political commentator from Haldwani of Nainital district of Uttarakhand said, “The new CM will have to pull off the impossible which has been never done before. The new leader will have to work beyond hard to break the pattern and he will have less than one year.”

  • BJP’s victory margin in Assam will exceed poll, TV surveys: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

    By PTI
    MAJULI: Union minister Jitendra Singh Tuesday said the BJP will return to power in Assam with a decisive mandate and the victory margin will exceed the poll and TV survey projections.

    Speaking to reporters after a public rally following the filing of nomination papers by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from here, Singh said it is a matter of great satisfaction that the BJP was approaching the polls with pro-incumbency factor, often not the case with ruling parties in the state.

    Majuli goes to the polls in the first phase on March 27.

    Elections to the 126-member Assembly in Assam are being held in three phases with the second and third phases on April 1 and April 6, respectively Singh said the people of Assam could not get the full benefits of central schemes or the centrally funded projects earlier because of the non-cooperative UPA government here.

    But soon after the government changed in 2016, there was a revolutionary transformation in the state overnight.

    “The BJP’s victory margin in Assam will exceed poll, TV surveys. The party will return to power for a second consecutive term in Assam with a decisive and a much higher mandate,” said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel.

    He is also the BJP’s Assam state co-incharge.

    Singh said the island tourist destination of Majuli had begun to attract worldwide attention because of the extraordinary makeover and development ever since Sarbananda Sonowal began to represent it in the Legislative Assembly.

    He exuded confidence that the people of Assam are in favour of continuing the same arrangement in the interest of optimum coordination between the Centre and the state.

    Singh said that during the Congress rule, if at all Assam made news, it was only for the incidents of insurgency or scandals and scams in high places.

    “But in the last five years (of BJP rule), the news is only about massive development and there is hardly any incident of unrest or disruption of peace,” he said.

  • Uttarakhand CM Rawat’s resignation an eyewash to hide govt’s failures: Congress

    Devendra Yadav said that the act shows the quot;admission quot; by the BJP of its government #39;s quot;failure quot; in fulfilling the aspirations of people.

  • BJP mulls leadership change in Uttarakhand, minister Dhan Singh Rawat may become CM

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: With the BJP mulling a change of leadership in Uttarakhand, state minister Dhan Singh Rawat has emerged as a frontrunner to replace Trivendra Singh Rawat as chief minister.

    Ajay Bhatt and Anil Baluni, two senior leaders from the state who are members of Parliament, are being seen as two other strong probables for the top post. Sources said the party may also bring in a deputy chief minister, who will be from the Kumaon region.

    ALSO READ| Brief breather for Uttarakhand CM, crisis in state BJP still not over

    Uttarakhand: National vice president Dr Raman Singh to arrive in Dehradun soon to oversee change of guard, cabinet minister Dhan Singh Rawat’s name at the forefront for the next CM: Sources @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard
    — Vineet Upadhyay (@VineetTNIE) March 9, 2021

    The central BJP leadership recently sent two observers, party vice president Raman Singh and general secretary Dushayant Kumar Gautam, to Uttarakhand to get feedback from the party’s core group in the state amid reports of discontent against the chief minister.