Thursday, 17 June 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
Govind Singh Kunjwal, Karan Mahra & Mamta Rakesh could be appointed to the coveted post
After the sudden demise of Indira Hridayesh who was the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in state assembly, the Uttarakhand Congress is now searching for a suitable person who can be Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the state assembly. The position of CLP assumes significance in a state where elections are due as CLP’s role is important in selection and distribution of party tickets. In view of its importance, the camps of former chief minister and general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Harish Rawat and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Pritam Singh are trying to grab the position of CLP leader.
Though the party was reduced to only 11 MLAs in the 70 member assembly in the elections of 2017 and which now has 10 members left after the death of Hridayesh there are many contenders for the post. Among the names making rounds are that of former speaker and veteran leader Govind Singh Kunjwal and deputy leader of the party in assembly Karan Mahra. Considering the fact that the crucial assembly elections of 2021 are only a few months away there is a possibility that the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Pritam Singh is removed from the post and made the CLP leader. However if Singh is made the CLP leader then someone from Kumaon region would have to be made the PCC president. It is learnt that the former chief minister and general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Harish Rawat is backing Mamta Rakesh for the position of CLP leader as she apart from being women represents Scheduled Caste (SC) category. The SCs form a major vote bank in Uttarakhand which the party is trying to woo back in its fold. The names of MLA from Manglaur assembly constituency in Haridwar Qazi Nizamuddin and Kedarnath MLA Manoj Rawat are also being viewed as possible successors of Hridayesh. Apart from being a three time MLA Nizamuddin has impressed with his knowledge of parliamentary proceedings in the assembly session. However, his being a member of the minority community goes against him. Manoj Rawat on the other hand is the only MLA the party has from the electorally important Garhwal parliamentary constituency.
In the choice of the CLP, the party would have to consider the caste ( Rajput, Brahmin) and the regional ( Garhwal and Kumaon) factors. Interestingly after the death of Hridayesh, there is no Brahmin legislator left in the Congress party now.
