Godiyal urges party leaders to put their issues in party forum
GAJENDRA SINGH NEGI/ Dehradun
In an attempt to douse the ongoing political fire ignited due to the decision of former chief minister Harish Rawat to take a break of 15 days from politics, the Uttarakhand Congress has started a damage control exercise. The senior leaders of the State Congress including Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Ganesh Godiyal, the leader of opposition in Vidhan Sabha Yashpal Arya, the chairman of the election campaign committee of State Congress Pritam Singh and the head of the election management committee Harak Singh Rawat have plunged themselves in an exercise to persuade Harish Rawat to come out of his purported break from politics. The Congress leadership wants to set its house in order ahead of the five day visit of State Congress Kumari Selja.
The LoP, Yashpal Arya initiated the exercise to soothe the frayed nerves of veteran Rawat when he met him at his residence on Monday. The two leaders reportedly discussed the issues concerning Rawat’s displeasure. Godiyal and head of election management committee Harak Singh Rawat are also expected to meet Rawat soon.
Interacting with The Pioneer, LoP Arya however denied that his meeting with Rawat had anything to do with the ongoing controversy generated in the media over his 15- day break from politics. He said that the communication between senior leaders of the party should be a continuous process. Arya added that Rawat is the senior most leader of the party. He accused the ruling BJP of trying to create a perception of internal division in the Congress party. “The resentment inside BJP is at its peak and instead of poking its nose into the affairs of Congress, it should set its house in order,’’ he said.
The PCC president said that former CM Rawat is the foundation of the party and no one doubts his unwavering devotion to the Congress. Godiyal said that he is in regular touch with Rawat over phone and added that he will soon meet Rawat personally. He added that everyone should put their issues in the party forum and follow discipline.
Meanwhile, the head of election management committee Harak Singh Rawat, who had recently annoyed the supporters of Harish Rawat by stating that no one should overestimate his influence and that no one is indispensable, has now mellowed his stance. He has now termed Harish Rawat as his elder brother and said that he will soon meet him. Pertinently, Rawat was reportedly annoyed by attempts to side-line him within the party and when his request to induct Sanjay Negi into the party was put on hold by the party high command he decided to take a break from politics.
