BJP creates new team; rubber stamp, says Cong

DEHRADUN: The BJP on Tuesday reconstituted the Uttarakhand executive team with most faces replaced. The main opposition Congress, whose state executive is yet to be formed, was quick to react, saying the BJP’s new executive was limited to putting up placards of names in its offices.

After the green light from BJP chief JP Nadda, state party president Mahendra Bhatt announced the new team on Tuesday. Bhatt, a former MLA from Badrinath assembly constituency, became the state party president replacing Madan Kaushik in July.

Bhatt has tried to create regional, ethnic and social equations of Garhwal-Kumaon and in the plains of the Terai area. Among the eight state vice-presidents, Bhatt has given place to former MLAs Balwant Singh Bhoryal, Kuldeep Kumar, Mukesh Koli and Deshraj Karnwal.

Puneet Mittal is reappointed the treasurer again and Saket Agarwal is the co-treasurer. Eight state secretaries, including former MLAs Meena Gangola, Meera Raturi, Hema Joshi, Dr Lilavati Rana, Aditya Chauhan, Rakesh Nainwal, Gurvinder Singh Chandok and Vikas Sharma, have been appointed.

Aditya Kothari, who was trailing in the race for the state president post, is the state general secretary along with Khilendra Chaudhary and Rajendra Bisht.Congress state media in-charge Garima Dasoni said, “The BJP’s new team is the rubber stamp of the Centre, which will not be able to take any decision on its own.”

She said parties were supposed to raise issues related to public interest for the next four years. “We are constantly attacking the anti-people policies of the BJP. Therefore, we are taking time to choose a strong executive committee,” she added.