Veteran Congress leader Narayan Dutt Tiwari on Tuesday declared that he would not contest in the ensuing lok Sabha elections 2014. In a statement issued here, Tiwari blamed State’s Congress leaders of conspiring against him and added that he had decided not to contest the polls as he won’t be able to give what he wished to offer to the public.
Urging his supporters and people at large to make their own decision how he was being treated and humiliated by the Congress, the former Chief Minister asked the people to use their good judgement while giving their votes. A day after Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav offered to support any decision taken by Tiwari stating that the SP would not field a candidate against Tiwari if he decided to contest the election, the octogenarian politician said that after much consideration he had decided to abstain from contesting in the polls.
In the statement, Tiwari informed that he along with his son Rohit Shekhar had undertaken a fortnight long tour of Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar constituency and discussed various issues and especially election with the youth, his old acquaintances and leaders known to him in the Congress and other political parties. He expressed disappointment stating that the party he had served dedicatedly for about six decades had ignored him and not even enquired about him in times of trouble. Accusing some Congress leaders of working against him, he suggested that they read the Congress party constitution which also has provision for democratic socialism.
“I have served on many posts with the blessings of the public. I did not wish to contest the election but found myself small considering your love and enthusiasm. Though it is not in my nature to say no, I have considered this and decided not to contest the election. However, there is not need to be disappointed; remain in direct contact with me and prepare your people from the Assembly constituency to the booth and village levels and I will soon give you stable and relevant Congress ideology so that you may play your role in the development of Uttarakhand on the lines of my continuous development idea,” he said.