Dinner diplomacy comes before decision for MLAs

To have a finger firmly on the pulse before choosing a BJP legislators for the post of Uttarakhand president, former Chief Minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri and Bhagat Singh Koshiyari are jointly going to host a dinner for party legislators on Monday. Sources said that on the issue of State president polls, BJP is divided into two factions, with one following Khanduri and Koshiyari, while the other follows ex-Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. The Khanduri faction had pushed the name of MLA Teerath Singh Rawat and ex-Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. Teerath is known as a confidant of Khanduri, while Trivendra is closer to Koshiyari. Currently, both Khanduri and Koshiyari are sailing in the same boat; so the Nishank faction has started lobbying against rival nominees. Two new names — Dhan Singh Rawat and Mohan Singh Gaonwasi — are doing the rounds in the State BJP circle. Ironically, Dhan Singh holds the post of organising general secretary in the State BJP and had contested Assembly election-2012 from Srinagar Vidhan Sabha seat. Sources said Dhan Singh was on good terms with BJP central leaders like Rajnath Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan. As is known, BJP always maintained balance between Garhwal and Kumaon divisions and Rajput and Brahmin caste. Currently, it has appointed a Brahmin and Ranikhet (Kumaon Division) MLA Ajay Bhatt as Leader of Opposition (LoP) so Garhwal Thakur leaders have started lobbying for the most coveted post. Nishank, who was removed from Chief Minister’s post mere four months ahead of Assembly election-2012, has somehow accepted party high command’s decision on LoP, but this time he is not ready to surrender before the party high command. Due to this, State BJP leaders have decided to send four-member panel to the central leadership. Interestingly, BJP had appointed two Chief Ministers from Garhwal division between 2007 and 2012 so it was expected that party would appoint LoP from Kumaon. Ranikhet MLA Ajay Bhatt, who was State Health Minister in interim Government during 2000-02, had lost the 2007 election. In recent Assembly election, he defeated Congress candidate Karan Singh Mahra. With the Khanduri-Koshiyari faction having made a pact to appoint Bhatt as LoP, Koshiyari is trying to appoint Trivendra as State BJP president. Anticipation is high. Trivendra Singh, who lost Assembly elections to Congress candidate Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’ from Raipur Vidhan Sabha; Teerath Singh, who won from Beeronkhal Assembly seat; Gaonwasi, who enjoys good support of RSS and Dhan Singh, who lost the Assembly election — all are in the fray. http://dailypioneer.com/nation/70438-dinner-diplomacy-comes-before-decision-for-mlas.html