The Congress high-command has summed top party leaders from Uttarakhand, including Harish Rawat, a day after the former chief minister made public his discontent with the leadership and noting that he sometimes feels it is time for him to rest.
Rawat, along with Congress Legislature Party leader Pritam Singh, state Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal and party leader Yashpal Arya are expected to arrive in Delhi tomorrow to meet Rahul Gandhi.
On Wednesday, Rawat – the Congress campaign head in poll-bound Uttarakhand – created a flutter in the political circles alleging non-cooperation from his organisation.
In a tweet in Hindi, Rawat said, “Isn’t it strange that the organisational structure at most places, instead of extending a helping hand, is standing with its head turned away or playing a negative role at a time when I have to swim across the ocean of elections.”
“The powers that be have left crocodiles there. People on whose orders I have to swim, their nominees are tying up my hands and feet,” he said.
“I am invaded by thoughts. A voice from within sometimes tells me it is enough Harish Rawat, you have swam long. It is time to rest,” the former Uttarakhand chief minister said. “I am in a dilemma. The new year may show me the way,” he added.
Talking to reporters about his cryptic tweets, Rawat refused to offer any explanation and said that he would “speak when the time comes.” “When the time comes, I will share everything with you. Who else will I speak to, if I don’t speak to you? I will call you. For now, just have fun,” he was quoted by NDTV as saying.
Asked about the tweet at a conclave organised by Times Now Navbharat, Rawat did not reveal who had turned their faces away from him, but explained what he meant by “crocodiles”.
“It is clear. When (Union) Home Minister Amit Shah visited Uttarakhand, he reminded me of a sting operation done by someone. No one from the journalistic fraternity would like to own up today. It was a veiled threat from the home minister to cause harm to me if I dared speak too much,” he said.
“The CBI, the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax (department) are the crocodiles unleashed by the Centre for its political opponents,” Rawat added.
While the Congress seeks to return to power in Uttarakhand, Rawat is learnt to be aspiring for being the chief ministerial face of the party there. Reports have indicated of factionalism in the Uttarakhand Congress with one faction being of Rawat and the other being on Pritam Singh, the Leader of Opposition in the state.
