Two months after the Congress received a drubbing in the assembly polls in Uttarakhand, the party is trying to get its act together in the hill state. The party has made big changes to its state leadership at a time when it is trying to prevent the poaching of its 19 MLAs and end factionalism.
Three big appointments are being seen in this context — Karan Mahara as the chief of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), who is known to maintain his distance from all the different factions within the party’s state unit, and Yashpal Arya as the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, whose extensive political experience could come in handy for the party to keep its flock together.
The third is the elevation of Bhuvan Chandra Kapri, who defeated Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami from the Khatima seat in the recent assembly polls, as the deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party. Interestingly, all these three Congress leaders hail from the Kumaon region.
More trouble
Ironically, these appointments, which were made to contain rebellion and introduce fresh energy in the party’s rank and file, have sparked dissent within the party. Three-time MLA from Dharchula constituency, Harish Dhami, has spoken publicly against these decisions, saying senior and honest leaders were being ignored while newcomers were being given leadership positions.
Mr. Dhami even offered to vacate his seat for Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, as a hint of his shifting loyalties. Party insiders say that a lot of efforts were put into pacifying him.
In a recent setback to the party, Jot Singh Bisht, a senior Congress leader, and a known face in Garhwal politics, switched over to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In his recent Facebook post, Mr. Bisht said factionalism, indiscipline, neglect of loyal workers and lopsided decision making, the future of the party was in jeopardy.
Reacting to these developments, Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni said, “If leaders who have held prominent positions in the party are making such statements, then whose responsibility was it to work on the shortcomings of the party?”
Replying to a question regarding factionalism within the party, Mathura Dutt Joshi, Secretary (Organization) PCC, said, “No big leader of the party has ever talked about joining another party. We are now are working at the grassroots to rebuild the organisation and enhance the morale of party workers”.
To this end, Mr. Joshi added, the PCC chief is extensively touring the Garhwal region of the State.
“Our party president Mr. Mahara spent two weeks in the seven districts of Garhwal. He met all the party leaders and workers and collected their feedback about the party’s defeat in the recent polls,” Mr. Joshi said.
According to him, Mr. Mahara has already held 46 meetings in the Garhwal region’s seven districts — Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Chamoli, Tehri, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi.
The Garhwal region has been a particular area of concern for the party as it was able to secure only three out of the 30 seats from this part of the State.
First big test
The decisions made by the Congress will be immediately tested in the Champawat Assembly bypoll.
How successful the Congress has been in setting its house in order will be tested through the Champawat Assembly bypoll scheduled on May 31. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who lost the byelection from Khatima, is contesting from Champwat seat to enter the Assembly.
The party has already deployed its top brass in Champawat to enhance the morale of the party workers, which is believed to have taken a further beating after 22 BDC Block Development Committee members, a municipal chief and three councillors switched over to the BJP.
