Apart from registering their protest against what they called anti people policies of state government, one of the objectives of the event was to demonstrate unity among different factions of the party. However the show ended up in widening the existing fissures in the party with Congressmen of different factions accusing each other in public glare.
The factions owing affiliations to the camps of former chief minister Harish Rawat and Pradesh Congress Committee President Pritam Singh came face to face when Harish Rawat left the venue in a huff. It is learnt that Rawat who apart from being a former CM and member of Congress Working Committee (CWC) was annoyed when he was not invited to address the meeting even as PCC president Pritam Singh, former PCC president Kishore Upadhyaya, LoP in state assembly Indira Hridayesh, some MLAs and former ministers had addressed the gathering. One of a supporter of former CM said that when anchor of the event called Pritam Singh, Upadhyaya and Indira Hridayesh to address the meeting, Rawat wanted that the anchor should invite him on the speaking dais. “This request was conveyed four times but it was ignored,’’ he claimed. When Rawat decided to leave the site, the patience of Harish Rawat’s supporters waned and they started shouting on Pritam Singh's supporters. Senior Congress Leader Jot Singh Bisht was seen loudly questioning the behaviour of Surya Kant Dhasmana. Rawat before leaving the venue was seen pacifying his agitated followers.
Later PCC President Pritam Singh said that no one had any intention of insulting Harish Rawat. He added that he would talk to him. In Facebook post Harish Rawat too explained his position. He said that he was in protest from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm but had to leave the venue as he was having some stomach trouble. Rawat congratulated the state Congress for success of dharna.