A day after the Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay stressed on tickets being given to one person from one family, the Chief Minister Harish Rawat said on Wednesday that the matter is not for public debate. “Family plays an important role for the politicians. However, it is the party high command that would take the final call on the matter,” he said, seemingly dismissing the opinion of the state party chief.
Political analysts are of the view that Upadhyay had targeted the CM in his roundabout criticism of the leaders who are trying to prop up their offspring into the electoral hurly-burly. It is known to all that at least two children of the CM-a son and a daughter-are gearing up to contest from seats they have chosen for themselves in the upcoming election.
The Congress insiders apprehend that the tussle between the CM and the state party chief would take an ugly turn in the run- up to the election, casting its shadows on the party’s electoral prospects. “We know that Upadhyay has been sulking since the time CM pitched for Pradeep Tamta as the party’s nominee for the Upper House election. The state party chief cried foul of the move, citing the CM’s partiality towards Kumaon region he hails from. Since then Upadhyay has been leaving no chance to take dig, overt or covert, at the CM,” a party insider said.
It would be pertinent to mention here that CM Rawat is canvassing for his daughter Anupma Rawat and son Anand Rawat who are likely to contest from two constituencies in Garhwal and Kumaon respectively.
The political observers are of the opinion that the CM might not plunge into the electoral battle himself this time, apprehending that he might face the same predicament that the BJP’s CM face Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri (retd) faced during the last election. The latter was defeated in Kotdwar constituency during the Assembly election-2012 and the saffron party’s prospects for forming the Government were doomed. “This might explain why he is insisting on fielding his offspring in two constituencies in both the divisions. This is to keep decks clear for him to step into the Assembly in case his party along with is allies secures the absolute majority in the House,” said a State watcher.