Uttarakhand Assembly Election: With just a few months remaining in the Uttarakhand Assembly election, the ruling BJP has intensified its campaign to lure in the voters. The saffron party has completed two consecutive terms and is fighting for a hat trick of victories under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The party is set to highlight its development works, especially in the hilly regions, throughout the campaign. However, Congress is likely to offer a tougher challenge this time by raising issues like women's safety and land laws.
BJP's Anti-Incumbency plan
While the election is set to be contested under the leadership of Pushkar Dhami, the BJP is likely to drop a major chunk of its 47 MLAs. The reports suggest that the party is considering to field several young candidates to attract the Gen Z voters. Apart from this, the ruling party is also expected to field experienced leaders in their strongholds to provide a balance.
Positives For Ruling Party
BJP, in its campaign, is strongly likely to raise multiple issues, including development works and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The party is also expected to highlight that the connectivity with other states and national capital Delhi has improved under the current government. Apart from this, the state has witnessed political stability after many years, as Pushkar Dhami is only the second chief minister to complete two terms.
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What Are Challenges?
Congress is likely to corner the Dhami government over several issues, such as the Ankita Bhandari murder case, land laws, unemployment, and migration. Apart from this, the grand old party is also likely to point out the controversial allotment of lands and the Agniveer Scheme. Rahul Gandhi has also tried to lure in the young voters through his 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' program.
Number Game Explained
While BJP has registered two back-to-back victories in the assembly elections, its vote share and number of seats have reduced. In comparison to 2017 polls, when the saffron party won 57 of the total 70 seats with a vote share of 46.5 per cent, its tally reduced to 46 seats in 2022. The party also received around three per cent less votes, while Congress' seats and vote share increased.
While the BJP is confident due to the development works and stability, the Congress could offer a much tougher challenge this time.
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