With the inception of Harish Rawat as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, the race for Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president’s post has picked up and three names, including of two sitting MlAs Navprabhat and Subodh Uniyal and ex-MlA Kishore Upadhayay, are doing the rounds in power corridors.
MlA Uniyal is being considered as a close confidant of ex-CM Vijay Bahuguna; so he is being considered as frontrunner among the three. He had served the Congress party as PCC vice president and was known as a vocal leader during Vijay Bahuguna’s regime. Although Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj is running upset with Uniyal, so only time will tell how Chief Minister Rawat tackles this prevailing challenge because this decision will play a pivotal role in the upcoming general election-2014, as Uttarakhand politics hovers around caste and region.
Caste-wise, two castes, Thakur and Brahmins, are dominating and region-wise Garhwal and Kumaon exists. Chief Minister Rawat belongs to the Thakur caste and Kumaon division; so pressure has mounted over the party high command that PCC president’s post, which is being led by caretaker President Yashpal Arya — because he had submitted his resignation from the post by following one man one post policy of Congress party — should go to Brahmin caste of Garhwal division only.
Political analysts said in 2002, a Kumaon Brahmin ND Tiwari was made first elected Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and then Harish Rawat was PCC president in between 2001-2007. In 2007, Garhwal Thakur Harak Singh Rawat was appointed leader of Opposition and then Yashpal Arya, who belongs to Dalit community, was made State PCC president; so caste and region permutations and combinations were not followed so far. This time, the situation is very delicate; so the party can’t neglect caste and region equation; so Brahmin belonging to Garhwal division may be appointed as PCC president.
MlA Navprabhat is a son of former minister of Union Government Brahmdutt Sharma and son-in-law of former chief minister ND Tiwari. He had served this part of the State as member of legislative council in Uttar Pradesh and was Cabinet minister in the ND Tiwari regime. He has good rapport with senior Congress leaders as well. It has also known to everyone that Rawat had stiff competition with ND Tiwari. Political analysts said that by helping Navprabhat, CM Rawat may try to win the heart of opponent group as well. Although MlA Uniyal is known as a close confidant of ex-CM Bahuguna and currently CM Rawat is taking very calculative measure; so he may extend support to Uniyal. Currently, Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj is running annoyed with MlA Uniyal. Political analysts say that it would be litmus test for CM Rawat as to whom he supports in selection of PCC president selection. Whether he makes friend by supporting opposite group’s candidate or invites enemies by supporting his close confidant.
Ex-MlA Upadhayay is being considered a close confidant of Chief Minister Rawat and even he had alleged that during Assembly election-2012 then Tehri MP Vijay Bahuguna had played pivotal role for his defeat in Tehri Assembly seat. There was an open fight between Upadhayay and ex-CM Bahuguna. In this perspective, Upadhayay’s chances are grim because Chief Minister Rawat is not in a position to annoy Bahuguna. Meanwhile, CM Rawat has categorically said that he would execute all the announcements made by his predecessor.