BJP brass will have work cut out for finding CM candidate
In case of a hung result, Ramesh Pokhriyal may be considered for top job
DEHRADUN: A wafer thin victory and tough electoral contests of its top leaders will pose difficulties for the BJP brass to choose a chief ministerial candidate, even if it wins the election.
BJP national executive member Satpal Maharaj, national secretary and Jharkhand in-charge Trivendra Singh Rawat, party state president Ajay Bhatt and former Speaker and minister Prakash Pant are said to be front runners for the top job. While Maharaj is contesting from Chobattakhal, Rawat, Bhatt and Pant are the party’s candidates from Doiwala, Ranikhet and Pithoragarh.
“It will not be easy for our party to nominate a chief minister if the contenders for the top post lose their seats. Such a situation will also persist if we fail to get a wafer thin majority,” a sen- ior BJP office bearer said.
In case of a hung assembly, the party may rope in former CM Ramesh Pokhriyal to stitch up an alliance as he is known for his contacts in fringe parties, sources say. Party insiders claim former chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari can make a last minute claim to the top post as there are chances of most his loyalists likely to emerge winners.
Party insiders say nominating a CM will be a smooth process “only in case we get a comfortable majority - the chances of which are remote” as reports suggest. “In all other situations getting a chief minister nominated will be difficult for the top brass,” a party official said. “In fact, it won’t be able to call even a of the party’s legislative wing to select its leader. ”BJP state president Ajay Bhatt, however, dubbed all such reports as “the canards spread by the ruling Congress”. “All such rumours that we may not even get candidates for the post of chief minister are baseless as we are getting 44 to 50 of the total 70 seats, which is more than the two-third majority. ”Sources say the first problem the BJP may confront is possibility of the desired candidates not being available for the top post. “Barring Maharaj, the rest are locked in a tough fight in their seats and may lose election,” said a source. According to him, nominating Maharaj will not be easy despite his closeness to party chief Amit Shah and RSS leaders. “That will not be easy for a host of reasons,” a BJP insider says. “Our cadres are against him. The same goes for most state BJP leaders who see him as their competitor.”