Though infighting continues within the State Congress party over the appointment of Kishore Upadhyaya as the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president, Chief Minister Harish Rawat at whose behest the Congress central leadership has given its stamp of approval to the name of Upadhyaya as UPCC chief, has cleverly tried to kill two birds with one stone.
By succeeding to see a candidate of his choice Kishore Upadhyaya, a Garhwali Brahmin, as head of the State party organisation, Chief Minister Rawat has not only tried to bridge the regional divide but has also revived the Thakur-Brahmin card that dominates Uttarakhand politics in true sense.
It is worth mentioning here that to do away with the regional imbalance and more importantly keeping in view long term interests of the party, Chief Minister Rawat did not hesitate even to dump name of one of his right-hand men Pradeep Tamta, a senior party leader and former MP from Almora- Pithoragarh parliamentary constituency, for the post of state Congress party chief.
The interesting fact is that Chief Minister Rawat until he took over as the head of State Government about four months back, had strongly advocated making Pradeep Tamta the UPCC chief.
It seems the Congress high command also saw Chief Minister Rawat's point in regard to why it is important for the party to bring in Upadhyaya as State party chief and struck down the rival senior party leader Vijay Bahuguna led camp 's demand for reconsidering the appointment of Upadhyay as UPCC chief.
Now it is to be seen to what extent Chief Minister Rawat and his handpicked man Upadhyay become able to keep the party united at a time when the party is going for another test of facing by-elections in three crucial Assembly segments in next month.
Appointment of Upadhyay as State Congress party president is also being seen here as second major victory of Chief Minister Rawat over his opponents within the party.
After successfully sidelining his bête noire Satpal Maharaj ( now BJP member), Chief Minister Rawat has also become able to keep another rival camp led by his predecessor Vijay Bahuguna at a distance by not allowing Bahuguna's man Subodh Uniyal to become State party president. There is huge disappointment now among party activists of the Bahuguna camp for not keeping their wishes in mind by the party high command while appointing new State party president. Missing of a majority of the party MlAs from the function in which Upadhyay was formally taking charge of office in state capital Dehradun on Sunday, only gives that impression.
At the same time, in the post lok Sabha elections in which Chief Minister Rawat who badly failed to prove his mettle, is now trying to reach out to the voters by playing the Thakur-Brahmin card which is central to the Uttarakhand
politics.
The caste equation was missing within the organisational structure of the State Congress party after N D Tiwari's retirement from the active politics. Now after resignation of Yashpal Arya who belongs to the weaker section of the society as UPCC chief, the Congress party and Chief Minister Rawat have only tried to restore that missing link by appointing Upadhyay as State party head.
Although caste based politics even in state like Uttarakhand has rather become a thing of the past if the popular verdicts of a few elections held in recent years are any indication, yet the Congress party seems to be trying to set its future political course in the hill State keeping in view the same caste equation.
As a senior party leaders here maintain the appointment of new UPCC chief has been made keeping in view state assembly elections in 2017. State Congress spokesperson Shilpi Arora has also expressed hope that appointment of Upadhyaya would definitely help party reach out to the people. Besides, added Arora, he would definitely help party keep a united face. Rajendra S Markuna n Haldwani
Though infighting continues within the State Congress party over the appointment of Kishore Upadhyaya as the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president, Chief Minister Harish Rawat at whose behest the Congress central leadership has given its stamp of approval to the name of Upadhyaya as UPCC chief, has cleverly tried to kill two birds with one stone.
By succeeding to see a candidate of his choice Kishore Upadhyaya, a Garhwali Brahmin, as head of the State party organisation, Chief Minister Rawat has not only tried to bridge the regional divide but has also revived the Thakur-Brahmin card that dominates Uttarakhand politics in true sense.
It is worth mentioning here that to do away with the regional imbalance and more importantly keeping in view long term interests of the party, Chief Minister Rawat did not hesitate even to dump name of one of his right-hand men Pradeep Tamta, a senior party leader and former MP from Almora- Pithoragarh parliamentary constituency, for the post of state Congress party chief.
The interesting fact is that Chief Minister Rawat until he took over as the head of State Government about four months back, had strongly advocated making Pradeep Tamta the UPCC chief.
It seems the Congress high command also saw Chief Minister Rawat's point in regard to why it is important for the party to bring in Upadhyaya as State party chief and struck down the rival senior party leader Vijay Bahuguna led camp 's demand for reconsidering the appointment of Upadhyay as UPCC chief.
Now it is to be seen to what extent Chief Minister Rawat and his handpicked man Upadhyay become able to keep the party united at a time when the party is going for another test of facing by-elections in three crucial Assembly segments in next month.
Appointment of Upadhyay as State Congress party president is also being seen here as second major victory of Chief Minister Rawat over his opponents within the party.
After successfully sidelining his bête noire Satpal Maharaj ( now BJP member), Chief Minister Rawat has also become able to keep another rival camp led by his predecessor Vijay Bahuguna at a distance by not allowing Bahuguna's man Subodh Uniyal to become State party president. There is huge disappointment now among party activists of the Bahuguna camp for not keeping their wishes in mind by the party high command while appointing new State party president. Missing of a majority of the party MlAs from the function in which Upadhyay was formally taking charge of office in state capital Dehradun on Sunday, only gives that impression.
At the same time, in the post lok Sabha elections in which Chief Minister Rawat who badly failed to prove his mettle, is now trying to reach out to the voters by playing the Thakur-Brahmin card which is central to the Uttarakhand
politics.
The caste equation was missing within the organisational structure of the State Congress party after N D Tiwari's retirement from the active politics. Now after resignation of Yashpal Arya who belongs to the weaker section of the society as UPCC chief, the Congress party and Chief Minister Rawat have only tried to restore that missing link by appointing Upadhyay as State party head.
Although caste based politics even in state like Uttarakhand has rather become a thing of the past if the popular verdicts of a few elections held in recent years are any indication, yet the Congress party seems to be trying to set its future political course in the hill State keeping in view the same caste equation.
As a senior party leaders here maintain the appointment of new UPCC chief has been made keeping in view state assembly elections in 2017. State Congress spokesperson Shilpi Arora has also expressed hope that appointment of Upadhyaya would definitely help party reach out to the people. Besides, added Arora, he would definitely help party keep a united face.