Pithoragarh MlA Mayukh Mahar, who had staged a sit-in against his Congress-led State Government on October 2 called it off in the evening same day. But he left several questions unanswered. Did he stage the dharna to vent anger against the scanty development in his constituencyIJ Or was it to remain politically relevant with threat dangling over him from none other than his mentor, Chief Minister Harish RawatIJ
Notably, Mayukh Mahar and ex-MlA Harish Dhami, who relinquished his membership from Dharchula Assembly constituency to facilitate Harish Rawat’s entry into the Assembly, were known as staunch supporters of Rawat from Pithoragarh district. They kept his predecessor Vijay Bahuguna on the tenterhooks by dishing out hostile statements against him and his style of governance persistently. The observers were convinced that they were doing the bidding of Harish Rawat, the then Union Cabinet Minister.
Interestingly, three MlAs i.e. Mahar, Dhami and Narayan Ram Arya out of the four from Pithoragarh district belong to the Congress. Arya represents Gangolihaat reserved seat. The fourth Assembly seat from the district - Didihaat - is with BJP MlA Bishan Singh Chufal. He is being considered as strong party leader having deep roots among the masses.
Now, Rawat represents Dharchula Assembly constituency and he is most likely to contest the next Assembly election slated in 2017 from here. Besides, he is believed to be looking for a safe seat for Dhami as a return gift from his side. Pithoragarh was found to be a safe seat for his acolyte. This is what could have prodded Mahar to embark on anti-Government crusade.
Rawat being an astute politician rooted in the ground reality is capable of seeing into things. Mahar kept on winning from Pithoragarh Assembly seat through consecutive elections. And this was courtesy the support he got from the Chief Minister, the observers believe.
Interestingly, when the dharna began on October 2 the gathering was impressive. But as the day wore on the turnout thinned. In the end, only a handful was left. This was a clear message for him that he was almost a cipher politically if divested of patronage from the Chief Ministe. The observers believe Rawat has already decided to replace the incumbent with Dhami for Pithoragarh constituency in the 2017 polls.
Interestingly, neither the Chief Minister nor his family members, including his wife Renuka Rawat, who contested general election from Haridwar lok Sabha constituency in 2014 and his son Anand Rawat, visited or spoke to Mahar over phone so far. Rawat had deputed instead Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, known as his close confidante, to break the ice with Mahar.
Political analysts say that the whole thing had been conceived with the objective to make the Chief Minister soften and to stoop to talk to him directly to thaw things. However, the Rawat having refused to bite the bait, things are uncertain for Mahar.
Talking to The Pioneer, Narendranagar MlA Subodh Uniyal, who is considered as a close confidante of ex-Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, said the dissident MlA’s frustration is justified. An MlA divides his five-year tenure in two phases-the first 2.5 years is meant for projects being sanctioned and the second 2.5 years is meant for the execution of all the sanctioned projects. This is because he will have to face the electorate at the end of the second phase. Opposition MlAs tend to raise harangues over the State Government stone-walling projects. But when a ruling party MlA raises such things it must mean that his frustration is justified and should be looked into.