By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 29 Aug: Ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) has taken yet another ‘disciplinary action’ against senior party leader Ashutosh Negi and has expelled him from the party for alleged anti-party activities. Along with his expulsion, his primary membership of the party has also been terminated.
The action comes just two months after Negi was removed from the post of central vice-president of the UKD. The party leaders claim that before his expulsion, UKD president Surendra Kukreti had reportedly warned Negi and advised him to refrain from activities considered contrary to the interests and discipline of the party. However, following his alleged failure to comply with the directions, the party decided to expel him for six years.
Negi was reportedly preparing to contest the 2027 Assembly elections from the Raipur constituency, making his expulsion a significant development ahead of the polls. His removal is also likely to have implications for the party’s preparations for the elections in the constituency.
Earlier, the UKD had removed Negi from the post of central vice-president and relieved him of other responsibilities in the party. A letter issued at the time by UKD central general secretary and central office in-charge Dev Chand Uttarakhandi stated that, on the directions of the central president and in accordance with the decision taken by the top leadership of the party, Negi had been relieved of the post of central vice-president and all other responsibilities with immediate effect. He was reportedly removed from the post allegedly also on account of anti-party activities.
Two months after his removal from the organisational post, the party has now taken the more stringent step by expelling him from its primary membership for six years. It may be reminded here that Negi is regarded as one of the more vocal and aggressive leaders of the UKD and has been frequently seen participating in the protests and raising issues on the streets. His expulsion, therefore, comes at a politically significant time when the regional party is seeking to revive its fortunes ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
It may be pertinent to remind here that the UKD established on July 25, 1979, is the only regional political party of some standing in Uttarakhand and had played a prominent role in the movement for a separate Uttarakhand state. The party had actively participated in the statehood movement and had sought the all-round development of the hill region, protection of the rights of local residents and preservation of the state’s distinct culture and identity.
However, despite its prominent role in the statehood movement and its position as the only established regional political party in Uttarakhand, the UKD has failed to translate its role in the movement into sustained political success after the formation of the state. The party managed to win a few Assembly seats in the initial years following the statehood to Uttarakhand but gradually it slipped into the political background, with its influence declining considerably.
It may be recalled that internal differences, factionalism, ego clashes and personal ambitions among senior party leaders have continued to plague the UKD ever since the formation of Uttarakhand. Repeated splits and leadership disputes have weakened the organisation and prevented it from emerging as a credible political alternative to the Congress and BJP. The party’s inability to maintain unity among its senior leaders and its continuing internal wrangling have been widely seen as among the major reasons for its failure to establish itself firmly in Uttarakhand politics despite its historical role in the statehood movement.
With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, the UKD faces the challenge of not only strengthening its organisational structure but also overcoming the internal rifts and leadership disputes that have repeatedly undermined its political prospects in the state.
