State Congress president Yashpal Arya who has cleverly managed to silence his critics who are rooting for 'one person one post' in the party by tendering his resignation from the State party unit chief, may continue as head of the State party unit till the general elections in 2014.
However, giving a possible extension to Arya doesn't mean that the central leadership of the party is not interested in infusing some new blood in party's Uttarakhand unit. It is rather not in hurry to bring a
new face.
The party's central unit in fact wants to hand over the reins of the party in the Himalayan State to a consensual candidate who is acceptable to all within the party, maintained highly placed party insiders.
Therefore, parleys are on at party forum how to arrive at a consensus among the party activists over the appointment of a new Uttarakhand
Pradesh Congress Committee chief, added the party leaders.
But the Assembly election process which is going on in some States, seems one of the main reasons delaying the Congress party's central
leadership in taking a final decision over restructuring of the Uttarakhand unit of the party.
So, as the party insiders inform, soon after the completion of the Assembly election process in some States this weekend, the Congress party may become able to take a decision over the issue of who could be Arya's successor in the
hill State.
However, it is also to know that the Congress' central leadership has not yet accepted the resignation
of Arya.
It has rather asked the present Uttarakhand Congress chief to continue in the office till the party takes a decision on this issue. If the Congress Party has not so far
been able to find a consensual candidate as president of Uttarakhand Congress Party, there seems to be consensus among party managers on the issue of giving extension to Arya till the coming lok Sabha polls in 2014.
The fact is that even if Arya has become a storm in the eye of many of his party men who were once considered as his right hands, the Congress Party thinks it won't be at loss by retaining Arya as State Congress unit chief for the time being or till the coming general elections.
After all Arya had got the party victories both in general elections in 2009 and last Assembly elections in Uttarakhand, said the party insiders.
He may be facing the charges of holding two positions simultaneously in the Government as well as in the party, but his record as party president has so far been non-controversial and the Congress Party is also looking for such candidate, maintained the party leaders.
Meanwhile, when the attention of State Congress spokesperson Shilpi Arora was drawn on the issue of restructuring of Uttarakhand
Congrress party unit,
she maintained that the party may take a decision on this issue after the declaration
of results of Assembly elections held recently in some of the States.
The Congress Party's central leadership is for a consensual candidate as new
chief of Uttarakhand
Congress unit.
Though some names of the party leaders and ministers are doing the rounds for the post of Uttarakhand Congress chief, it may take some time in this process, sheadded.
At the same time, the State Congress spokesperson did not rule out Arya's
continuation as State party chief till the general
elections in 2014.