All efforts to resolve the ‘trouble’ which broke out after the recent threats from sulking Congress MlA Harish Dhami to resign a few days ago, appeared to be washed away on Wednesday when Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) spokesperson Dhirendra Pratap sought resignations from the post of parliamentary secretary from two MlAs and advised the third to leave the post of vice-chairman of the State planning commission.
The controversial statement, which created a flurry in political circles, came at a time when Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna is making all efforts to bury the issue. Interacting with media persons, Dhirendra Pratap advised the two MlAs, including Manoj Tiwari and Hemesh Kharkwal, to resign from the post of parliamentary secretary. The Congress spokesperson didn’t stop at the point and also sought resignation from MlA Mayukh Mahar from the post of vice chairman of State planning commission. Pratap said when the MlAs didn’t want to talk to the CM, they should leave the post of parliamentary secretary.
He said that on one hand the MlAs expressed mistrust in the Government, on the other they propagated that they were fighting for the development. Interestingly, they wanted to stick to the position of the parliamentary secretary. When they don’t trust the CM, they should leave the constitutional post of the parliamentary secretary. Pratap's statement raised a flurry among politicians and came as a jolt to ongoing efforts to appease the angry MlAs.
When asked about his reaction, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna extricated himself and the Congress from the statement saying, “It is his (Dhirendra Pratap) personal statement. The party as well as the Government have nothing to do with it.” The Chief Minister met the assembly speaker a day ago in order to find out an amicable way to bury the issue by appeasing the angry MlAs. The CM is maintaining silence and is avoiding making statements over the matter for the last few days.
Soon after Dhami threatened to resign from the post of MlA, the CM made a balanced statement. The CM has justified the demand of the MlAs while making a comment on the matter. Then the CM categorically said that the announcements made by the CM are for next five year. There was no need to panic that the state government failed in delivering development. The CM said that when he was a MP he had similar kind of feeling. So, the concern of the MlAs for development was right. He also assured then that the State Government would carry out development in each area of the State.
When contacted, Almora MlA Manoj Tiwari refused to comment on Pratap's statement. He only said that Pratap knows best why he made such a statement. Tiwari justified the stand he took to draw attention of the government towards delay in implementation of various developmental projects in his area.
“I have raised issue to draw attentions towards delaying in fulfilling poll promises. I have drawn attention towards delay in delivering development in our areas. These issues will strengthen the party in the forthcoming General elections,” Tiwari said. Hemesh Kharkwal, Congress MlA from Champawat, didn’t make any comment over the matter saying, “I don’t consider the statement worth making any comment over.”
He said that he wanted development in his constituency as he was answerable to the people. He said that by carrying out development in the area, he wanted to strengthen the Congress further.