Fresh trouble, Rawat ally won’t back RS nominee

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 29

Fresh trouble is brewing for the Congress in Uttarakhand with ally Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) objecting to the name of Pradeep Tamta as the party’s nominee for the Rajya Sabha  and staking claim for the lone seat.

The PDF comprises six legislators (three Independents, two from the BSP and one of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal). It is part of the Harish Rawat-led Congress government which recently won the floor test by a narrow margin. Any change in the number game may spell fresh trouble for the Congress, which just about managed a lease of life after the revocation of President’s rule in the state.

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The PDF is learnt to be pushing for Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai (Independent) for the RS nomination and has communicated so to Rawat who will be here on Monday for consultations with the high command.

It is learnt that Rawat today met PDF convener and Independent MLA Mantri Prasad Naithani to  “convince” him to back the Congress nominee. No headway is learnt to have been made. Four of the six PDF MLAs, including Dhanai, are ministers in the Congress government. Sources said the PDF was trying to extract its pound of flesh in

return for its support during the floor test. Asked if the Congress could review Tamta's nomination, a top Uttarakhand unit leader said, "That is for Congress president Sonia Gandhi to decide."

The Congress needs the support of 29 legislators to win the RS nomination from Uttarakhand. It has 27 MLAS of its own. A top Congress leader said, "Everything will be sorted out tomorrow ".

Tamta, a former Lok Sabha MP from the Almora (reserved) constituency, is a Rawat confidant. He was  declared the Congress candidate from Uttarakhand yesterday. May 31 is the last date for filing nominations.