Massive party workers convention to prepare for polls in Uttarakhand
Work for two-third majority for BJP — Nitin Gadkari
By Ravindra Saini in Dehradun
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ready for assembly polls in Uttarakhand. Though the state is expected to go to polls in February next year, the preparations by the BJP appear in full swing. In order to energise the cadre, a massive workers convention was held at Parade Ground in Dehradun on October 9 and the party’s national president Nitin Gadkari himself set the goal of retaining the government. Over 10,000 workers attended the convention.
Shri Gadkari called upon the workers to work towards ensuring a two-third majority for the party in the elections. Praising Chief Minister Major General (Retd) BC Khanduri for his clean image, he asserted that his government is trying to rid the state of corruption. “The BJP will ensure good governance in the state, since it is a party not of the leaders but of the workers,” he said.
Shri Gadkari flayed the UPA government for denying extension of industrial package to Uttarakhand and alleged that it was trying to punish the people of the state for voting for the BJP. “You may oppose the BJP but you have no right to punish the people of the state. The package would have generated a large number of jobs for the youth of the state,” he said.
He further said it was the BJP-led NDA government, which created Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand, whereas the Congress is still sitting over the decision to create Telangana. “The entire Telangana is on fire over the issue and yet Congress is not taking any step towards creating the state of Telangana,” he said.
Boosting up the moral of BJP workers, Shri Gadkari said the clean image of the party and the developmental works done by it in recent years would be the decisive factor for the victory in the upcoming elections. “Only those who have been putting their blood and sweat in the progress of the state and its people will be hand out tickets for the elections. The trust of people in BJP has distinctly increased and it vouches for our victory in the 2012 elections,” he said, urging Chief Minister Shri Khandori to make Uttarakhand an ideal state.
Former party president Shri Rajnath Singh said development, achievements of the government and corruption-free and transparent government would be the main issues in elections. He exhorted the youth to teach a lesson to corrupt politicians and those who prevented the country from achieving the desired level of progress.
Chief Minister BC Khanduri said a lot of work has been done during the BJP regime in the state and the BJP government has succeeded in making Uttarakhand an economically stable state. “When the state was formed, the annual per capita income was around Rs 15000 but today as a result of the policies of BJP government it has jumped to Rs 56000 in Uttarakhand. The growth rate in the state is about 10 per cent which is far better than the national growth rate. The industrial growth rate, which was 1.9 per cent when the state was formed in 2000, has now reached 26 per cent.
He said to tackle the problem of migration from remote border villages that can lead to serious security issue, the BJP government has initiated a project involving 50000 farmers who will grow herbs and medicinal plants which will be purchased by pharma units. The government has ensured 50 per cent reservation to women at Panchayat level. A provision for 30 per cent horizontal reservation to woman in government services has also been made.
Rajya Sabha MP and State Election Campaign Committee chairman Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said the BJP would win the 2012 election as the masses of the state and the entire nation were fed up with inflation and corruption.
Former Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ also highlighted the achievements of the state government and welfare schemes for the people. First Chief Minister of the state Shri Nityanand Swami, state party president Shri Bishan Singh Chufal and many other prominent leaders were also present on the occasion.
