How to Win Despite Losing

Pushkar Singh Dhami may have lost the election but retained the big prize at the Uttarakhand BJP legislators’ meet.

- Anilesh S. Mahajan

IF THE CROWN FITS CM Pushkar Singh Dhami being felicitated in Haridwar, Feb. 28

On the evening of March 21, amid thunderous applause, he was chosen to continue as chief minister of the hill state. He had lost his Khatima seat to old rival Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by 7,273 votes, creating a blip in what was otherwise a splendid victory for the party. By all accounts, Dhami was the anchor in the BJP scoring a second successive victory with 47 seats in the 70-member state assembly.

Dhami, who is just 46, seems to have the backing of his legislators; at least six of them have already offered to vacate their seats for the second-term CM. The buzz is that the party is looking for a seat in the Kumaon region, either Didihat represented by party veteran Bishan Singh Chuphal or Dhami loyalist Suresh Gariya’s Kapkot seat. Meanwhile, sources close to Dhami say they are talking to two Congress MLAs as well to suss out their constituencies. Any ‘sacrifice’ will not go in vain. The BJP even has to send a Rajya Sabha MP from the state next month.