Uttarakhand Politics

Uttarakhand politics features a combination of major national parties working in close union with some of the regional parties of the state. Uttarakhand was created in 2000. It was the realization of a dream long cherished by the inhabitants of the upper Himalayas for a separate state for themselves. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) are the two most important national parties in the Uttarakhand politics. The Bharatiya Samajwadi Party (BSP), along with certain leftist parties, has a strong base in the political scenario of Uttarakhand.

The national level parties of Uttarakhand are backed with a strong support from the state level parties of the region. Specially, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), the main thinkers behind the formation of the separate state for the mountain dwellers, still continue to exert a telling influence in the scene of Uttarakhand politics.

The highlight of politics in Uttarakhand was the first assembly elections held in 2002. Congress emerged from it as the single largest party and went on to form the government followed by BJP in the second place. The second assembly elections of Uttarakhand's politics were held in February 2007. With a sweeping wave of anti-incumbency, it was won by BJP, bagging as many as 34 seats and missing the absolute majority only by a single seat.

The state legislature of Uttarakhand forms the very core of Uttarakhand politics. With Sri Harbans Kapoor as the speaker and governor Sri Sudarshan Agarwal at the helm, the legislature has Sri BC Khanduri as the chief minister and Dr. Harak Singh Rawat as the leader of the opposition. The judiciary of Uttarakhand was established with its seat in Nainital in 2000. They play a central role in Uttarakhand's politics. The cabinet looks after the proper execution of the laws as formed in the legislative assembly.