Bansi Dhar Bhagat was elected unopposed the new president of Uttarakhand BJP in Dehradun on Thursday. Sitting Kaladhungi legislator, Bhagat was considered the strongest contender in the race for the coveted post right from day one. Maintaining a balance between cast and regional politics, the BJP opted for Bansi Dhar.
Bhagat failed to get any responsibility in the Trivendra Rawat government after the 2017 state assembly elections. Though his name was in circulation many times for getting a ministerial berth, but it never got materialized. Bansi replaced Ajay Bhatt and the new chief faced huge challenge in ensuring win for BJP in the 2022 state assembly elections.
Sixty-nine year old BJP leader started his political career as a common party member of Jan sangh in 1975. Bhagat served as minister in the first BJP government in 2000. In 2007 he proved all calculations wrong by defeating strong Congress leader Indira Hridayesh from Haldwani seat in the state assembly elections. Indra was the strongest minister in the ND Tiwari government and she contested polls on the plank of development.
Though many were expecting Kailash Joshi and Kailash Sharma to file their nomination for the Uttarakhand BJP president post, but none of the two turned up. The election was uncontested, which clearly indicated that Bhagat enjoyed the support of the high command. Newly elected Uttarakhand BJP chief Bansi Dhar Bhagat said, “I am honoured. My party has provided me big responsibility. I will work for making BJP stronger in the hill state.”