It may sound strange but true that Congress leaders want to run parallel Government in the State because most of the district Congress committee (DCC) presidents have alleged that District Magistrates are not listening to them while interacting with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and State PCC president Yashpal Arya in the presence of Uttarakhand Congress assistant in-charge Anees Ahmed in Dehradun.
Sources said that if this happens then district administration, which usually executes Government notification in the district, may face inconvenience in day-to-day activity. Sources further said that at present there is a vacuum over the State PCC president because there is no clarity whether incumbent president Yashpal Arya will continue or not.
Sources said that most of the Congress leaders want that DM should be posted or transferred on their recommendation. Even Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who had convened a daylong meeting on district wise in Dehradun, had categorically told that DCC should have such power to pass direction to the DM if he fails to execute the programme on ground.
On condition of anonymity, a senior official said that party leaders want to have power similar to the Chief Minister. If this happens then bureaucrats would not be able to execute the project on ground and will prefer to do lobbying for their stability.
Sources said that by convening such meeting Chief Minister Bahuguna has annoyed the party officials because most of the leaders had to reach the Chief Minister Office in morning and had to sit for five to six hours for their turn. later, two or three people of each group expressed their view so all members of each group did not get a chance to vent their vision.
They said that instead of doing so Chief Minister had called the meeting Garhwal and Kumaon division wise. Although party general secretary Vijay Saraswat and spokesperson Dhirendra Pratap have expressed thanks to the Chief Minister but could not answer what kind of benefit party workers would get after the meeting.
Sources further said that at present party leaders or workers are in doldrums because there is no clarity on PCC president. Most of them were seen anticipating whether PCC president Yashpal Arya will continue or notIJ They said that party high command should make it clear that new president will have to make their team ahead of general election otherwise situation would be tough for the president. He would not get a chance to build rapport with party leaders or workers.
Talking to The Pioneer, Pithoragarh DCC president Mathura Dutt Joshi categorically said that district administration officials are not taking us seriously. It seems they have been told by someone to overlook congress leaders in the district.
During meeting Uttarakhand PCC president Yashpal Arya said that there is a need to give respect to the party leaders and workers. Even there is a need to instruct district magistrate or district police head to pay attention to the DCC president and Congress workers petition on priority basis. Now question is that what kind of attention they want for DCC president or Congress workersIJ If it means distribution of portfolios, which State Government gives among party leaders by making them chairman or vice-chairman of the committee, then question arises how many leaders will be accommodated by the StateIJ
Bageshwar DCC president Sunil Bhandari said that DM is not paying attention to the party workers even Minister in-charge Surendra Singh Negi has convened only one meeting in the district. Although he expressed thanks that Chief Minister Bahuguna spoke to the district DM over phone immediately and instructed to take care of party president.