Weathering the broom
THE WEEK|February 20, 2022
Rebels, turncoats and a fledgling AAP have queered the pitch for the Congress and the BJP
PRADIP R. SAGAR
Weathering the broom

UTTARAKHAND CHIEF MINISTER Pushkar Singh Dhami is no stranger to the unpredictability that comes with inclement weather. That is why, after being forced to cancel a flight from Haridwar to Ranikhet on February 3 because of heavy rains and snowfall, he quickly made the most of his remaining day and travelled to his constituency— Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar district.

Khatima is around 250km from Haridwar. Because of the weather, Dhami could reach Chakkarpur, a village in Khatima, only at 9pm—six hours behind schedule. Despite the delay, more than 1,000 supporters were waiting to greet him when he arrived at the rice mill that was the venue of his rally. “I am glad to see your energy level,” Dhami told the audience amid cheers. “Even the rains have not stopped you. I feel energised by your presence. I am confident that no one can stop the BJP from coming to power.”

Dhami, 46, is up against Harish Rawat, veteran Congress leader and former chief minister, and Col (retd) Ajay Kothiyal of the Aam Aadmi Party. The AAP is contesting for the first time in Uttarakhand, but the party is posing a stiffchallenge to both the BJP and the Congress.

Since its formation in 2000, Uttarakhand has alternated between the BJP and the Congress in assembly polls. Incumbent chief ministers have not returned to power. Nityanand Swamy lost in 2002, B.C. Khanduri in 2012, and Harish Rawat lost both the seats he contested in 2017.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 20, 2022 من THE WEEK.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 20, 2022 من THE WEEK.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE WEEK مشاهدة الكل
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
THE WEEK India

What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?

IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
THE WEEK India

Trump and the crisis of liberalism

Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Men eye the woman's purse
THE WEEK India

Men eye the woman's purse

A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
When trees hold hands
THE WEEK India

When trees hold hands

A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Ms Gee & Gen Z
THE WEEK India

Ms Gee & Gen Z

The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
THE WEEK India

Vikram Seth-a suitable man

Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Superman bites the dust
THE WEEK India

Superman bites the dust

When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
THE WEEK India

OLD MAN AND THE SEA

Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port

time-read
4 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE WEEK India

Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets

THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
THE WEEK India

Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay

AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024