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Uttarakhand BJP leaders flock to CM Rawat's 'political guru'. It's a strategy
Ex-chief minister BC Khanduri enjoys CM Rawat's affinity. BJP state leaders are now trying to gather brownie points by paying visits to Khanduri.
Former Uttarakhand chief minister Major General BC Khanduri (Retd), who had been away from any political limelight since the last couple of years, seems to be in the news again ever since Tirath Singh Rawat, who calls Khanduri as his "political guru", took charge as the new CM of the state.
After taking oath as the state's head, Rawat paid his first visit to Khanduri on the morning of March 11 during which he cited him as a father figure and the reason behind his present political stature. Since then, BJP state leaders, including new party state president Madan Kaushik, have been paying visits to him with many suggesting that the party leaders have figured out that if one needs to get close to CM Rawat, the passage will go through Khanduri.
Major Gen Khanduri (Retd), a five-time MP from Pauri Garhwal seat, had been the CM of Uttarakhand twice from 2007-09 and 2011-12. Known as a tough taskmaster as a CM, he was widely considered a leader of integrity and honesty by the public. He had also been Union minister of state with independent charge in the then NDA government from 2000-2003.
After losing the 2012 state assembly elections, he then contested the 2014 general elections from Pauri Garhwal which he won with a margin of over 1.85 lakh votes. However, in the 2019 general elections, he refused to contest again citing ill health following which present CM Rawat contested from the seat and won against his son Manish Khanduri who fought the elections from the Congress. Following that, he went dormant in the state politics with the state BJP not involving him in any party activities until March 10 when Rawat took charge as the new CM.
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Political experts say that, with the affinity of CM Rawat towards Khanduri known to all and proved by his visit next morning, BJP state leaders are now trying to gather brownie points from Rawat by paying visits to Khanduri.
"This is obviously a visible change in the strategy of the BJP leaders from a corporator to a senior leader. Since March 11, all have been visiting him at his residence in Dehradun, including newly appointed party state president Madan Kaushik to newly inducted cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi," said political analyst SMA Kazmi.
Kazmi said the visit paid by the CM the very next morning with his wife to Khanduri, during which he immensely praised his role in his political life as was well as personal life, has "hit a chord with other party leaders."
"The visit has again pulled him in the political limelight because a CM meeting him is obvious to send some message down the ranks. Also, being an ex-army man, Khanduri is widely respected in the Garhwal region even today. All the party leaders are now trying to cash in that," he said, adding that CM Rawat has again made him politically alive in the state.
Another political expert, Anoop Nautiyal, who had been keeping a close eye on the recent major political developments said, "Not only is CM Rawat close to him politically but personally too."
Nautiyal said, "During his meeting with Khanduri, he heaped praises on him by calling him a father figure. But what made the news was Khanduri speaking of him like he is speaking of his son, which grabbed the attention of other party leaders who had now figured that if they want to get close to the new CM, they have to go through Khanduri. Hence, the recent spurt in visits by BJP leaders and rise in his importance."
New party state president Madan Kaushik tried to play it down by saying, "Gen Khanduri has been a respected leader in the party and will always remain one."
"There is nothing political in visiting one of the tallest leaders of the party in the state. He has been the CM twice and MP five times. So, there is nothing wrong if the party leaders are seeking his blessings," he said.
