Yashpal Arya’s exit a blow to Cong

SMA Kazmi

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 16

The decision of Revenue Minister and senior party leader Yashpal Arya to quit the Congress, with whom he had been associated for the past 41 years, is a big jolt to the party ahead of the Assembly elections that are scheduled to be held on February 15.

Yashpal Arya was considered as the Dalit face of the party in the Kumaon region. Yashpal, after joining the BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah in New Delhi, has been announced as BJP candidate from Bazpur. His son Sanjeev Arya has also been given BJP ticket from Nainital (reserve) seat.

Yashpal Arya, a protege of former Chief Minister ND Tewari, was the Speaker of the Assembly from 2002 till 2007. He was also made the president of the Uttarakhand Congress when Harish Rawat quit as state Congress chief after the party’s defeat in 2007. It was under the leadership of Yashpal that the Congress won all the five Lok Sabha seats in 2009 Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Yashpal was uncomfortable since Harish Rawat took charge as Chief Minister in February 2014 following the removal of Vijay Bhauguna by the party high command. Despite being a bitter political opponent, Yashpal remained a Cabinet minister and showed his displeasure on many occasions against the decisions of the Chief Minister.

He was annoyed when Pradeep Tamta, another Dalit leader, was given Rajya Sabha ticket by Harish Rawat. He went up to the party high command to express displeasure on being ignored, being the senior most Dalit leader of the party.

It was also expected that he would join the Congress rebels when nine ruling party legislators rebelled against Harish Rawat. But, at that moment, Yashpal Arya could not muster enough courage to quit the party.

He was seeking ticket for his son Sanjeev Arya from the Nainital reserve seat but was unsure since Harish Rawat had reportedly been given all powers by the party high command to select candidates for the coming polls. The decision to quit was prompted by concentration of power in the hands of Chief Minister Harish Rawat who has been calling the shots. Yashpal also gave vent to his feelings after joining the BJP when he blamed Harish Rawat for his style of functioning. Earlier, 10 Congress leaders had rebelled making similar allegations against Harish Rawat in March last year.