Rudrapur (Terai), February 17
The sagging morale of Congress workers here received a big boost after Congress president Sonia Gandhi, during her current tour of the state, sternly asked the factionalised Uttarakhand Congress leadership to put their differences aside and consolidate the party’s position for the February 21 poll.
In a firm but polite manner, she is believed to have told Chief Minister Narain Dutt Tiwari to be more visible in the election campaign and lead the workers like a soldier from the front. Differences between the state Congress chief, Mr Harish Rawat, and Mr N.D. Tiwari have been clearly reflected in the poll campaign with the Chief Minister avoiding the canvassing on the pretext of being too old.
Mr Rawat, on the other hand, is believed to have told the party president at a rally in New Terhi on Friday that unless dissidence was immediately checked, it would mar the prospects for the Congress.
The Congress has already expelled 32 dissidents, but since they hold considerable influence in the state, they can act as ‘spoilers’ for the Congress. With the weather gods often playing spoilsport with the campaigners in this state known as the ‘Abode of Gods’, the Congress has had to cancel the visit of senior leaders disappointing its cadres and voters on more than one occasion.
Sonia Gandhi finally managed to address rallies across the state and after quickly assessing the mood and getting inputs on the party’s state of preparedness told the state leadership to fall in line.
Uttarakhand has international borders with China and Nepal. It has 70 Assembly seats spread across 13 districts.
Mr Tiwari, a Brahmin hailing from Kumaon, has tremendous influence there and in the Terai regions. He is not contesting the current election and his absence from the poll arena coupled with announcements, like he would seize to be the Chef Minister after the poll, are weaning the Brahmins away from the Congress.
This is especially noticeable in areas like Nainital, Almora, Ranikhet, Rudrapur, Kashipur,
etc. Besides the Congress president, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too proposes to go on a whirlwind tour of the hill state.
