Jai Badri, Jai Kedar, Garsain Main Ho Sarkar. This was the poll cry of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), a regional party demanding that Garsain, located in the hills, be made the state capital.But having joined hands with the BJP government after the elections, the UKD is now humming a different tune. The three UKD MLAs are waiting to be included in the BJP’s ministry. The statement by Diwakar Bhatt, leader of the UKD Legislature Party, stating that an expert panel will be set up to ascertain the feasibility of having Garsain as the capital, has drawn flak from various political parties. In the past six years, two previous state governments—one headed by the BJP and the other by the Congress—have appointed a commission to choose a capital within a time frame and then, extended its time limit. In its election manifesto, the UKD had promised to decide on making Garsain the capital within a month of coming to power. The party had also said that issue of shifting the Chief Minister’s office and the Raj Bhavan would be decided within a year of coming to power.The party got only three Assembly seats in the recently-concluded elections. And decided to extend support to the BJP government. But the statement by Diwakar Bhatt, one of the party’s most senior leaders, toeing the BJP line has surprised many.
