U'khand polls: BJP looking for strong leader to steer the

With Assembly polls in Uttarakhand due in 2017, the churning in BJP to find a suitable candidate who could steer the party and mobilise the state organisation is on with a focus on second rung leaders of the party including Ajay Bhatt.
Uttarakhand BJP president Tirath Singh Rawat's three year tenure came to an end last month.
Due in early 2017, Assembly polls in the state is the immediate challenge before the party, and the state leadership must go into the hands of someone capable of addressing this challenge, a senior party leader told PTI on request of anonymity.
With the leading lights of the party including three former chief ministers Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank becoming MPs, Uttarakhand unit of the BJP has long been in search of a strong leader who could pilot the party to victory in the upcoming Assembly polls.

In the last week of December, the party's Parliamentary Board, the highest decision making body in the organisation, will meet and appoint observers to oversee the process, a necessary formality prior to the appointment of state president, he said.
The party leader expressed hope that finding a consensus candidate for appointment to the post who could mobilise the state organisation and breathe life into it would not be difficult as there are a number of first and second rung leaders capable of handling the responsibility.

"We have no dearth of leaders for appointment to the post. There is a strong frontline of leaders including three former CMs and there is an equally strong second line of leaders too. So the changeover in all likelihood should be smooth," Pradesh BJP co-media in-charge Ambhimanyu said.

Though a whole lot of names is doing the rounds as contenders for the post including that of three former CMs, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Ajay Bhatt may finally emerge as the final choice, a party leader said requesting not to be quoted.
"The three former CMs may not be entrusted with the task as we are in need of a fulltimer who could devote all his time to take on the first and foremost challenge of 2017 Assembly polls.
"As all the three former CMs are currently members of the Lok Sabha, chances of their being given the additional responsibility of steering the party through the forthcoming elections are thin," he said.

"Moreover, former CMs are the known, acceptedfaces of the party who have their responsibilities in Parliament to look after.
"Asking them to concentrate on poll-bound Uttarakhand will also in a way delimit their role," he said.
While the final choice will be made by the central
leadership, a substantial section of state party leaders see AjayBhatt emerging finally as the consensus candidate who they think can do justice to the responsibility of steering the party to victory in 2017 elections.
"Bhatt Ji has been a legislator for three terms. He is an experienced leader and enjoys a clean image. He is vocal too.

"In short, he has what it takes to take on the challenge at hand (2017 Assembly polls)," the party leader said.
However, a clearer picture will emerge only after the meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board expected to be held by Decmeber 15, he said.