In order to tackle the problem of internal dissent on the issue of party candidates in the Vidhan Sabha election 2017, the Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay has requested all party workers in Uttarakhand to provide their cooperation in favour of the official party candidate as per the commitments made in party meetings. In a letter addressed to the party workers, the PCC chief has recalled that all had pledged in the party meetings held in Haldwani, Haridwar and Rishikesh to work in support of which ever person is selected as the party candidate by the party’s central leadership. Meanwhile, there was some relief for the party as some of the Congress rebels including Shilpi Arora contesting from Gadarpur and Kichha constituencies and Rajendra Dhawan contesting from the Dehradun Cantt constituency withdrew their nominations in support of the official candidates of the Congress party on Wednesday.
At a time when the Congress continues to faces challenges from both outside and inside the party, the PCC chief has stated in his letter to the party workers that cleanliness and honesty is vital in public life especially for maintaining the dignity of Uttarakhand. “If the Congress members do not honour the pledge they had taken then, the people who had reposed their faith in the Congress would lose their trust in the party. They would question how the Congress would protect them if its members cannot secure their own promise,” states Upadhyay. Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of being “anti-Uttarakhand and anti-democracy”, the PCC chief further requested the Congress party workers to commit themselves to defeat the BJP in the Vidhan Sabha election 2017.
He goes on to explain to the party cadre that in the process of selecting the official candidate of the party, there are various aspects and issues which need to be taken into consideration. He states to the party workers, “It may be that the selection of the Congresss candidate did not take place in the manner as per your
sentiment. The Congress party respects your sentiments but if we are able to ensure victory of the party candidates as per the demands of the time, the victory will echo across the nation,” stated Upadhyay, while exhorting the party cadre to honour the pledge and make all effort to achieve victory for the authorised party candidate in their respective areas. The PCC has also requested the rebels of the party contesting the election to withdraw their nomination in favour of the authorised candidates of the party. Meanwhile, the PCC chief spokesman Mathura Datt Joshi informed that among the Congress rebels who had filed nomination as independent candidates, Shilpi Arora withdrew her nomination from the Gadarpur and Kichha Vidhan Sabha constituencies. At the Congress Bhawan in the provision state capital Dehradun late on Wednesdayevening, Arora said that she felt that her decision to contest against the Congress candidate was in some way benefiting “communal forces”. Being reminded by the PCC chief of the loyalty pledge taken earlier and following the directions of Chief Minister Harish Rawat and senior party leaders, she had decided to withdraw her nomination from both the constituencies she had filed nomination from.