Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national leader Nitin Nabin has ordered the party’s Uttarakhand unit to ensure that reports of intra-party discord do not overshadow preparations for next year’s Assembly elections or provide the opposition with an opportunity to target the government’s performance, people familiar with the matter said.
During his visit to the state last week, Nabin met with party leaders and stressed the need to put aside differences and focus on the election campaign. According to a party official, he also cited law and order complaints.
“The party president stressed that state unity should follow the example of other BJP-ruled states that overcame anti-incumbency and returned to power. Reports of leadership changes should be ignored and the focus should remain on communication and addressing concerns of citizens,” the official said.
Uttarakhand has not traditionally re-elected governments, but in 2022, the BJP bucked that trend and returned to power under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
“There are leaders who feel that the high command should think of the Gujarat model of government reform to counter anti-incumbency, but the party president’s message was to put aside differences and not give the opposition a chance to hurt the government,” the official added. Ahead of the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections, the BJP replaced then Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and his government.
“The high command has been informed of the shortcomings in law and order, most of which are attributed to external parties. Local residents have also expressed concern over the delay in implementing the land law to protect their rights,” the official said.
In 2025, the state cabinet amended the Uttarakhand State Act (Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Land Abolition and Reform Act, 1950), imposing a complete ban on purchase of agricultural and horticultural land by outsiders in 11 districts.
“The country has already implemented the Uniform Civil Code and is serious about religious conversions, but there is growing concern about demographic changes and its impact on law and order,” the official said.
A second party leader said concerns about development projects affecting the state’s fragile environment could also emerge as a challenge.
“There have been protests over large-scale construction works associated with the Char Dham Yatra. While the government wants to attract more tourists, there are still concerns about the impact on the Ganges riverfront and the hills. Youth, in particular, are concerned about striking a balance between development and environmental protection,” the leader said.
People familiar with the details said Nabin also instructed the cadre to intensify communication among young people, who remain concerned about issues such as paper leakage and shortage of government jobs.
“Teams of party leaders have started (travelling) across the state. They will hold meetings and assess public sentiment on the ground,” the first official said.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, the BJP won 47 of the 70 seats, many of them by narrow margins. Dhami lost from Khatima but later entered the assembly through bypoll from Champawat. The Congress Party won 19 seats, while the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Independents won two seats each.
