RAMESH POKHRIYAL
Uttarakhand health minister Ramesh Pokhriyal was selected as the new Chief Minister of the state in place of B C Khanduri. Khanduri was resigned from his Chief Minister post due to the poor performance of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the state in the recent Lok Sabha elections. In the recent election, BJP lost all five Lok Sabha seats from the state. Pokhriyal had the experience of working as a cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of three Chief Ministers including Kalyan Singh, Rajnath Singh and Ram Prakash Gupta. He is also famous as a Hindi writer, and he wrote many books.
BIOGRAPHY
Journalist turned politician Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank was born 15th August at Pinani in Pauri district. The qualities of leadership can be seen in Pokhriyal since his childhood. When he was in Primary school, he was not only monitoring of his class but also held the responsibility of head boy of the school. He was started his career as a journalist and has written several books. Later he came into contact of Jansangh and thereafter BJP through RSS. Ignorance of Uttaranchal in all respects by the various governments filled his mind with the feeling of irritation and as a journalist, he tries his best to create public awareness about Uttaranchal. In 1987, when BJP formed ‘Uttaranchal Pradesh Sangharsh Samiti’ for the struggle for state, he was appointed as Central Spokesman of the committee. Later BJP had approved Uttaranchal as a shadow state. The struggle for statehood of Uttaranchal made him active in the politics. During the state agitation, he was arrested several times. He was also very actively involved in Ramjanma Bhoomi struggle and continued to comply with the instruction to work remaining underground. He also led cultural agitation and became favorite of youths for his brutal cultural speeches.He made his debut in the Uttar Pradesh assembly in 1991and he won from Karanprayag seat and owned it in 1993 and 1996. In 2000, when Uttarakhand was cut out of Uttar Pradesh, he became the first Finance Minister of Uttarakhand in the short term government led by Nityanand Swami. He lost the assembly election in 2002 from Thalisein assembly seat but was elected again to the state assembly in 2007 and became a minister in the B C Khanduri government. He played an important role in popularizing and publicizing dance and drama series of Bharat worldwide. Furthermore, he established several music degree colleges and Bhatkhande Cultural University in the state. He has been writing in various regional and national newspapers against social inequalities, administrative corruption and anarchism. The issues of general public had always been the contents of his writings. He is continuously writing in various news papers and magazines, and also he is a poet. His creations includes ‘Samarpan’, ‘Navankur’, ‘Mujhe Vidhata Banana Hai’, ‘Tum Bhi Mere Saath Chalo’, ‘Desh Hum Jalane Na Denge’, ‘Jeevan Path Mein’, ‘Bas Ek Hi Ichchha’, ‘Kya Nahi Ho Sakta’, ‘Bheer Sakshi Hai’, ‘Meri Vyatha’, ‘Meri Katha’ etc. He was honored by the Presidents Dr. S.D. Sharma and Gyani Jail Singh in President’s House for his patriotic creation and also honored by many reputed institutions of various states of India.