Garhwal Post
Monday, January 8, 2007
Haldwani, 7 Jan: Although, in the normal circumstance, factionalism and personal rivalries are the stuff of in-party politics, come election time, the lure of power welds some form of unity among leaders and less distinguished politicians.
The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), which has striven hard since the 1980s for a separate state, still smarts from having been deprived of power once the state did come into being. In fact the party that made the most effort for the state is today fighting for its very survival. At a time when regional parties are playing the role of kingmaker in other parts of the country, the party can evoke little enthusiasm among the public. Nor has it been able to present itself as an alternative to the national parties.
It is in this context that the UKD has begun to formulate its strategy. During its two day 28th convention held in Pithoragarh, recently, it had focused on the issues of a permanent state capital, delimitation, employment, return of government employees who have opted for UP, and the rising prices. It was also decided that there would be no negligence with regard to the electoral contest, which would be fought in a coordinated manner. It had also planned to tie-up with other like-minded parties to oust the Congress and deny BJP the chance to form the government.
Emphasis was laid on correcting the mistakes made in the last election, during which several UKD candidates lost by narrow margins. The effort would be to ensure that winning candidates are selected. At the same time, it was felt that defending the four seats where they had won would be a matter of prestige. [more]
