Ahead of the next round of Assembly elections, the Congress received yet another shocker, and this time from Uttarakhand. Former State Chief Minister Harish Rawat has hinted that he was not receiving the required support from the party and was “reconsidering” his future.
The grand old party is already suffering from internal squabble in Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and Manipur.
In a cryptic message on Twitter, Harish, who is said to be close to the Gandhis, appeared to be critical of the Congress leadership. Till recently, he was the Punjab Congress in-charge and handled the internal turmoil that ended in Charanjit Singh Channi replacing Amarinder Singh as the Chief Minister.
Taking to Twitter, Harish said, “Isn’t it strange that the organisational structure at most places, instead of extending a helping hand, is standing with its head turned away or playing a negative role at a time when I have to swim across the ocean of elections.”
“The powers that be have let loose many crocodiles (predators) in the sea that we have to navigate. Those whom I am supposed to follow, their people have tied my hands and feet. I have been getting the feeling that Harish Rawat, it’s gone too far, you have done enough, it is time to rest,” he tweeted.
Asserting that he was reconsidering his future, the Congress leader said, “Then there is a voice in the head that quietly says I am neither weak nor will run from challenges. I am in turmoil. Hope the New Year shows me the way. I am confident that Lord Kedarnath (Shiva), will show me the way.”
With the Uttarakhand election coming up early next year, Harish’s message has caused a flutter in the State Congress unit, which has been plagued by factionalism.
A top AICC leader said Harish is a very important leader of the party and for the State and has been one of the main trouble-shooters and his current resentment, perhaps a rare one, could be localised. Rahul Gandhi in his last week’s visit to the State had cautioned local leaders sternly not to create any trouble for the party ahead of the polls.
Another leader at AICC said Harish could be soon called by the party high command to prevent the recurrence of situations like in Punjab in Uttarakhand or any other State.
