Uttarakhand BJP targets Congress, independent MLAs ahead of 2022 Assembly polls

Over the next few weeks, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to witness many leaders - from Congress and independents - capable of winning elections joining the party fold in Uttarakhand.

It is learnt that the BJP is consolidating in Uttarakhand ahead of the crucial Assembly polls scheduled for next year. The party has decided to seek strong candidates wherever it feels that the party is on a weak footing.

The entry of independent MLA Pritam Singh last week and 'ghar wapsi' of Congress legislator Rajkumar is expected to give it a much-needed boost in the forthcoming polls.

Party sources stated that the move has been necessitated due to the state's history of close contests.

Highly placed sources in the party informed that one more Congress legislator from the state is in touch with the BJP leaders and is likely to join in the coming week. Joinings are likely to continue, said sources.

"There would be one more legislator joining us soon," said a senior party leader. Last week, Pritam Singh, independent MLA joined BJP in the national capital in presence of Union Minister Smriti Irani.

A senior party leader said that the party does not want to give any chance to the opposition to challenge it and by breaking the ranks of the opposition the BJP is targeting their morale.

"These joinings have a bigger message. With several sitting MLAs from opposition and independents joining the BJP in full media glare the act is expected to hurt the morale of the main opposition Congress. The state has traditionally elected alternate parties, BJP and Congress, every five years. But we hope it will change this time and BJP will return to power," the leader added.

Struggling to keep its flock together, Uttarakhand Congress received a jolt with one of its sitting MLA's, Rajkumar from Purola Assembly constituency joined BJP today in New Delhi.

Rajkumar was earlier a BJP MLA and had occupied the post of secretary in the party's state unit.

The significance of the joining can be gauged from fact that Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and state unit chief Madan Kaushik both were present to welcome the Congress legislator in the party's fold.

Polls for the 70 member Uttarakhand Assembly are likely to take place in early 2022.

(ANI)

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