Wednesday, 01 January 2025 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Amid controversy surrounding the selection of mayoral candidate in Pithoragarh, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara has said that the party has taken the correct decision in nominating Anju Lunthi. He said that the party high command has taken the final call on the issue and everyone should respect the decision.
Mahara said that Lunthi had contested the Pithoragarh Assembly by-election in 2019 which was necessitated after the death of Prakash Pant as senior Congress leader and the current MLA Mayukh Mahar declined to contest the by-election. He said that despite all odds and the sympathy factor for the BJP candidate, Lunthi put up a commendable contest and lost the election by only 2,400 votes.
The PCC president said that the party has taken into consideration her track record and offered her ticket. On the question of resentment expressed by vice president of State Congress Mathuradutt Joshi, the PCC president said that Joshi is a very senior leader and the party has always given him key responsibilities in the party organisation. Joshi continues to be in the position of number two in the State unit, he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that selection of Lunthi as mayoral candidate has evoked dissension in Pithoragarh Congress. The Pithoragarh MLA Mayukh Mahar has termed the selection of candidate wrong and is openly supporting the candidature of Monika Mahar. The state vice president Joshi too has opened a front against the party leadership on the issue. He was demanding a mayoral ticket for his wife Rukmani Devi.
