Talk about change of guard in the State is yet to die because a Congress leader pasted posters of Union Minister for Water Resources Harish Rawat at Congress Bhawan on Sunday.
Rawat was in the city and later rushed to Delhi immediately which has created another round of discussion about change of guard in the State.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna's faction supported by Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj has started lobbying for a Thakur candidate to be appointed as Uttarakhand PCC president.
If a Thakur gets appointed as PCC president, then Chief Minister's chair will go to Brahmin candidate and Harish Rawat's candidature will be denied as part of balance between Thakur and Brahmin caste.
Incumbent state PCC president Yashpal Arya had resigned form PCC president post by following one man one post norms few weeks ago. Although party high command has asked him to continue the post of PCC president till the selection of new president.
Seeing this option, CM Bahuguna's faction leaders or supporters have begun lobbying for cabinet Minster Pritam Singh or Surendra Singh Negi, both belong to Thakur caste, to be appointed as PCC president.
If this happens then Harish Rawat candidature will be weaken and Brahmin candidate will be appointed as CM post. To counter this calculation Harish Rawat and his supporters are putting the name of Ex MlA Kishore Upadhyaya, who belong to Brahmin and known as anti Bahuguna, for PCC president so that Thakur can be appointed for the post of CM post.
On condition of anonymity a MlA said that currently two MPs namely Harish Rawat and Satpal Maharaj and three cabinet ministers namely Indira Hridayesh, Harak Singh Rawat and Surendra Singh Negi are in the race of Chief Ministership.
Seeing around half dozen contenders for CM post party high command, who had earlier talked about change of leadership in the State, might have put this issue in backburner.
Haridwar MP Harish Rawat, who was in Dehradun on Sunday, has refused to make any comment about ongoing media anticipation about change of guard. later inquisitive Rawat said that currently situation is under control but you know better than me and us. Talking about meeting with AICC President Sonia Gandhi, Rawat said that we apprised her about State situation after disaster.
He further said that he gets re-energized after meeting with party high command. Although his supporters have given enough hint that State is going to face change of leadership shortly.
Talking about People democratic front (PDF), which is an alliance of seven MlAs including three Bahujan samaj party, one Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (P) and three independent, have already given enough hint that they have given their support to Congress party to form Uttarakhand Government not to their leader.
Rawat supporters alleged said that State residents are craving for help after disaster but State Government has failed to address their woes and now they are residing in temporary makeshift.
Although the State Government claims that homeless families are being given monthly rent by the State so that they can stay in rented accommodation till the construction of their own house.
Sources further said that few contenders are camping in Delhi to lobby for their dear leader but party high command has not given them appointment so far. He also expressed hope that the way senior leaders are quitting their cabinet birth with an hope that they would groom party to face upcoming general election.
In this perspective party high command may ask CM Bahuguna to leave his chair but it will take some time. At present party high command is busy in tacking Maharashtra where situation turmoil after submission of committee, which was constituted to investigate so called Adarsh housing society scam, so they will take few more days to clear the picture of Uttarakhand. Political pundit says that situation may be anything, but this time Harish Rawat is not going to leave the matter at rest.