Union Home Minister Amit Shah has issued a call to action for BJP cadres in Uttarakhand, urging them to engage in door-to-door outreach to secure a decisive “hat-trick” victory in the upcoming assembly elections. Speaking in Dehradun during the state’s 26th Foundation Day celebrations on Friday, the Home Minister established an ambitious electoral goal of winning 65 out of the 70 assembly seats in the state.
During the event, Mr. Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 62 separate development projects with a total valuation of Rs 1,475.31 crore. He positioned Uttarakhand as a central player in the nation’s growth trajectory, stating that the state would serve as the “first milestone” in India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation. Emphasising the party's vision for the region, he stated that the BJP aims to transform Uttarakhand into a secure, prosperous state that functions as the cultural capital of India.
The Home Minister also directed sharp criticism toward the Congress party, particularly targeting leader Rahul Gandhi. He dismissed the opposition's “vote bachao” campaign, recharacterising it as a “ghuspathiya bachao” rally, and advocated for the removal of individuals he described as “infiltrators” from both the electoral rolls and the country. Furthermore, Mr. Shah claimed that the BJP has focused on shifting the state's economic structure from a “money-order economy” to a more robust “industrial economy.”
Reflecting on the party's electoral history in the region, Mr. Shah noted that the BJP secured 57 seats in 2017 and 47 seats in 2022. He encouraged party workers to surpass these figures by reaching the target of 65 seats in the next election. He also referenced the state's tourism sector, claiming that it has experienced a 380 percent growth, and highlighted that the Centre has been implementing development projects worth Rs 270 crore across 51 border villages under the ‘Vibrant Village’ programme.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who spoke at the same event, defended the current administration’s record and criticised the Congress party’s stance on national security figures. Referring to remarks made by Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister questioned why the Congress had insulted National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who hails from Uttarakhand. He also challenged Congress leaders for not opposing SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, whom he accused of characterising Uttarakhand residents as “infiltrators.”
Addressing the internal governance of the state, Mr. Dhami claimed his administration had successfully filled government positions with 35,000 youths. He asserted that these recruitments were carried out without corruption, following the imprisonment of over 100 individuals linked to what he termed an “exam-cheating mafia.” The Chief Minister dismissed opposition concerns regarding the electoral process, suggesting that critics only question electronic voting machines when they face defeat.
The event concluded with Mr. Shah reiterating the government’s commitment to border security, citing the 2016 surgical strikes, 2019 airstrikes, and the 2025 Operation Sindoor as evidence of strengthened national defense. He emphasised that the administration remains focused on stopping migration from the state, viewing local development and stability as the primary deterrents to demographic shifts in border regions.
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