Rawat Defies Congress High Command in Crucial Uttarakhand Campaign
Rawat Defies Congress High Command in Crucial Uttarakhand Campaign
Former CM Harish Rawat presses on with his public outreach in Uttarakhand, defying party leadership's call for unity ahead of crucial state assembly elections.
Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat is forging ahead with his public outreach campaign across poll-bound Uttarakhand, a move that has put him at odds with the Congress party's state in-charge, Kumari Selja. Rawat's decision comes despite Selja's explicit request to postpone such activities and focus on presenting a united front for the upcoming assembly elections.
Selja, in a letter to Rawat, underscored the critical need for party cohesion, especially with state elections just months away. She pointed out that Rawat's campaign had not been discussed with either the central leadership or the Uttarakhand Congress unit chief.
Furthermore, Selja referenced "certain controversial statements" reportedly made by Rawat recently, cautioning that any "parallel programme at this juncture will not be in the interest of the party." Undeterred, Rawat took to Facebook to announce his campaign schedule, which is set to kick off in Jaspur in Udham Singh Nagar and proceed to Haldwani. His message resonated with defiance and determination: "Friends, the challenge is big.
But our resolve for the pride of Uttarakhand is equally firm." He declared, "There is no stopping now.
Rise, move forward... we have to bring change in the state and bring Congress back! From Jaspur to Haldwani, let us meet...engage in dialogue and take forward the fight for the rights of Devbhoomi [Uttarakhand]." This internal friction surfaces as the Congress party gears up to intensify its efforts in the state.
Rawat remains a highly influential figure within the Congress in Uttarakhand. The state's political landscape saw a significant shift in 2022 when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power, securing 47 out of 70 assembly seats. The Congress, in contrast, managed only 19 seats, thus breaking a long-standing trend of power alternating between the two major parties every five years.
Rawat's unilateral campaign could complicate the party's strategies for regaining ground in the upcoming polls.
