Political crisis is brewing for the BJP in Uttarakhand. An internal survey conducted by the party’s central leadership recently, suggests that most of the state unit leaders and party cadres are in favour of a leadership change. The survey has also highlighted that the party’s image is on a decline in the state and if it wants to win the coming Assembly elections, it needs to make urgent amendments in the state leadership. Among the senior-most leaders in the state, including chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Rajya Sabha member B.S. Koshiyari and former chief minister B.C. Khanduri, party cadre prefers Mr Khanduri to take charge of the state, the survey states. Mr Koshiyari and Mr Khanduri belong to the rebel camp. However, both the leaders had a close-door meeting recently to discuss the party’s falling credibility under Mr Nishank.
Mr Nishank is under fire from the Opposition for a ` 400-crore land scam and irregularities in other projects.
He had met the party top-brass recently after the central leadership sought his stand on the allegations against him. Uttarakhand is the second BJP-ruled state, after Karnataka, which is mired in land scam.
After Mr Nishank’s meeting with the BJP top brass, senior state unit leaders and some party MLAs had a meeting with party chief Nitin Gadkari last week.