In Uttarakhand, why BJP is ‘micro-managing’ 23 seats it lost in 2022

“These leaders will visit their assigned constituencies, assess the political situation, draw up strategies with local party leaders and create an atmosphere conducive to the BJP’s victory in 2027,” a senior BJP leader said.

The BJP won 47 of Uttarakhand’s 70 Assembly seats in 2022 to retain power.

Dhami lost Khatima but was later elected from Champawat in a bypoll, allowing him to continue as chief minister.

“Khatima, Dhami’s hometown, is also a constituency he frequently visits. He is familiar with the local people and can comfortably devote time to meeting them and addressing the issues of the general public as well as BJP workers,” the leader said.

The BJP’s central leadership will take a final call closer to the 2027 elections on whether Dhami contests from Khatima or Champawat. However, party insiders believe he should contest from Champawat, where he won after losing Khatima.

Who got what?

BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt has been assigned Piran Kaliyar, a challenging seat for the party as it has never won the Muslim-dominated constituency in Haridwar district. Congress’s Furkan Ahmed has held the seat since 2012.

Another difficult constituency, Manglaur, has been assigned to Rajya Sabha MP and BJP national co-treasurer Naresh Bansal. The seat, also Muslim-dominated, has so far been won by candidates from the BSP and Congress.

Two constituencies that the BJP has never won — Chakrata and Dharchula — have been assigned to party general secretary Deepti Rawat and senior leader Ganesh Bhandari, respectively.

Other senior leaders given charge of seats lost by the BJP include Union Minister of State Ajay Tamta and former chief ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Trivendra Singh Rawat and Tirath Singh Rawat.

Garhwal MP Anil Baluni has been assigned Badrinath, a seat which Bhatt lost in 2022.

Breakdown of some seats

BJP state general secretary Kundan Parihar, who has been assigned Haridwar Rural, said the exercise was aimed at strengthening the party at the grassroots level.

“This is a micro-management exercise for these 23 seats. The leaders will tour their assigned constituencies, hold meetings with local leaders to strengthen the party at the polling booth level and assess the political equations and other challenges. These exercises will continue till the Assembly elections,” Parihar said.

Under the plan, former chief ministers, ministers, MPs and other senior leaders will also be responsible for ensuring public participation in BJP programmes and campaigns in their assigned constituencies. They will also be expected to remain present during the telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly Mann Ki Baat address.