Infighting within the State Congress came to the fore once again when many Congress activists led by senior Congress leader Harendra Bohara, who was Congress candidate against State Cabinet Minister Harish Chandra Durgapal in the last Assembly elections from the lalkuan Assembly constituency, staged protest at the public rally of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna here on Wednesday.
The agitating Congress party workers of the region were of the view that they felt totally neglected. “The fact is that we were not informed even for this much awaited opening of the Gola motor bridge for the public,” alleged the ruling party workers, adding they were not criticising the party. “Our problem is with the local leadership who did not think it appropriate to inform us about this public rally,” they alleged.
“The matter of concern is that the Chief Minister is here among the public today. But no proper invitation was extended to us,” alleged senior Congress leader Harendra Bohara.
“We are not against the party. The party activists are just airing their disappointment over how they have been neglected,” he further said.
Interestingly, perhaps keeping in view the local party workers’ sentiments Harendra Bohara was later invited to share the dais with the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues.
It is worth mention here that though the State Congress leadership managed to pacify the matter this time. But the divide within the State party unit has only got widened in the course of time ever since the last Assembly elections. Then the State Congress Party extended party ticket from lalkuan Assembly constituency to Harendra Bohara bypassing strong contender and senior party leader Harish Chandra Durgapal. It seems Harendra Bohara is still battling his political rivalry hard with Durgapal who is now representing the lalkuan Assembly constituency as an independent candidate.
But the political observers here maintain that since it was a public function. Among others, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, State party president Yashpal Arya and Cabinet Minister Indira Hridayesh were also present on this occasion. Therefore, it is believe that the local party works must be taken into confidence by the State party leadership.
The agitating party works would not like to be seen as rebels against their own party. But the truth is that since State leadership is taking part in this public function, therefore, the office bearers of the local party units must be informed about party’s programmes, said the party activists. That only shows how the ruling party is facing factionalism and that too at a time when the crucial general elections are drawing near.