BJP likely to firm up alliance with UKD (D)

Dehradun, January 2
Along with finalising the first list of candidates from the BJP for the Assembly elections slated for January 30, the party may also firm up alliance with the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Democratic).

Negotiations are already on in New Delhi with top leaders who are expected to release the list by tonight. After senior leader and state BJP election campaign in charge BS Koshiyari held talks with Food and Civil Supplies Minister and president of the UKD (Democratic) Diwakar Bhatt, speculation was rife that the party may rope in Bhatt for an alliance and even ask him to contest the Assembly elections on
BJP ticket.

However keeping his options open, Diwakar Bhatt is said to have demanded ticket for his party from Narender Nagar and Devprayag.

The BJP wants that Bhatt fight on the BJP symbol and during the preliminary talks Koshiyari had apprised him of the tie-up that the party had with Harbhajan Singh Cheema who is a sitting MLA from Kashipur.

Bhatt is said to have asked BJP leaders to allocate Narender Nagar (Tehri) seat for his supporter and sitting MLA Om Gopal Rawat and his own seat Devprayag from where he is the sitting MLA.

Sources in the BJP said Bhatt had made this offer as the BJP is expected to allocate 20 seats for its sitting MLAs, some of whom are also Cabinet ministers, on the basis of “sitting getting formula”.

As these seats were already in the kitty of
the UKD (D), Bhatt too, is said to have made his claim on the basis of the same formula.

But it also means setting aside two seats from its own quota and putting paid to aspirations of BJP aspirants. “The talks are on with the UKD (Democratic). The party high command will be making the final call later.

At the moment, we are working on clearing the names of our candidates who are sure short winners,” said BS Chuphal, Uttarakhand BJP chief.