Harish Rawat alleges non-cooperation from Congress organisation, hints at quitting

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 22

Congress veteran Harish Rawat on Wednesday spelt trouble for the party when he posted a series of cryptic tweets baring his anxiety at the state of affairs in the organization and hinting at an urge for rebellion.

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In veiled yet clear references to the Gandhis, Rawat said he has had enough and sought divide guidance out of the situation.

“It is a strange predicament.  I have to swim in the sea of elections and the party organisation instead of supporting me is turning it back on me and playing a negative role in most places,” said Rawat, former Uttrakhand chief minister and the current party campaign chairman for the election bound state.

Rawat said the powers that be (read the Gandhis) in the organisation had unleashed crocodiles in the ocean he was expected to cross.

“Representatives of the people on whose orders I have to swim across this sea of elections have tied my hands and feet. A thought is repeatedly occurring to me—Harish Rawat, you have had enough, it is time to rest,” said Rawat, who as AICC general secretary in charge oversaw the ouster of Capt Amarinder as Punjab CM.

The Congress leader then goes on to tweet: “Then again a voice in another corner of my heart says that I would neither beseech nor retreat. I am in a state of flux and confusion. Hopefully the New Year will show me direction. I am sure Lord Kedarnath will guide me out of this perplexity”.

The Congress has not assured Rawat of chief minister-ship should the party win state elections due early next year.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is experimenting with gradual change of guard in major states as he did in poll-bound Punjab by ousting Amarinder Singh and installing Charanjit Singh Channi as Punjab chief minister.

Rawat, who was AICC general secretary Punjab when Amarinder was eased, now faces his own set of transitional challenges in Uttrakhand where AAP is also making aggressive postures in the fight against the ruling BJP.