2 days after CM was replaced, BJP changes Uttarakhand unit chief

The appointment of Kaushik, who is MLA from Haridwar in Garhwal region, will also push the party for changes to balance the equation between Kumaon and Garhwal. Bansidhar Bhagat hails from Kumaon. So at this juncture, both state BJP president and chief minister are from Garhwal.

Published on: Mar 13, 2021, 01:15:48 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

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Two days after the chief minister was replaced in Uttarakhand, the BJP on Friday changed the state present by replacing Bansidhar Bhagat with Madan Kaushik, who was a cabinet minister and spokesperson in the Trivendra Singh Rawat government.

Madan Kaushik, a four-time MLA from Haridwar constituency, has served as a cabinet minister between 2007 to 2012 in the governments of BC Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. Kaushik was first elected as MLA in 2002 and subsequently in 2007, 2012 and 2017. (HT PHOTO).

This is being seen as part of the BJP’s efforts to overhaul the party and government with just one year left for the elections amid reports that all was not well with the BJP regime in the hill state, prompting the high command to make such major changes so close to the elections in the state.

Madan Kaushik, while talking to reporters after his appointment, said that this should not be seen in any negative way as the party can give responsibility to anyone whether he is in serving in the government or in the party. “We will win the 2022 elections in a big way and we will pass this agni-pariksha by winning over 60 seats (in the 70-member assembly),” he said.

Kaushik, a four-time MLA from Haridwar constituency, has served as a cabinet minister between 2007 to 2012 in the governments of BC Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. Kaushik was first elected as MLA in 2002 and subsequently in 2007, 2012 and 2017. In the previous government, as spokesperson, he not only was the face of what the government was doing but also its chief defender, whenever the government was going through a difficult situation.

Bansidhar Bhagat, who has been replaced by Kaushik, said the party has taken the decision after considering all aspects and whatever new responsibility he is given, he will try to work to his best capacity in the interest of the party.

Dhan Singh Rawat, higher education minister in the Trivendra Singh government said Kaushik will be very good as state BJP president since he has vast experience both within the party and the government. He has severed in various capacities in both party and the state government and his experience will help the party in a major way at this juncture when the elections are round the corner.

The appointment of Kaushik, who is MLA from Haridwar in Garhwal region, will also push the party for changes to balance the equation between Kumaon and Garhwal. Bansidhar Bhagat hails from Kumaon. So at this juncture, both state BJP president and chief minister are from Garhwal. This will prompt the party to give more representation in the cabinet formation from the Kumaon region.

A senior BJP leader said it is for the first time that the BJP state president is from the plains and not the hill region of the state. “Also, it is likely for the first time that both state BJP president and the chief minister are from the Garhwal region. This will push the party leadership to bring in more changes in the leadership here to strike a balance among castes (Thakur-Brahmin) and region (Garhwal-Kumaon),” he said.

On the BJP going for a total overhaul in the state, Devendra Bhasin, state BJP spokesperson said he welcomed the changes being brought in by the party as they are meant for the betterment of the party in the state. “We are having elections here soon and these changes have been brought about to strengthen the party and make sure that the party wins in the 2022 elections in a big way,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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