Uttarakhand Congress is in crisis as its MLAs have opened a front against their state chief Karan Singh Mahra in Delhi accusing the PCC chief of taking arbitrary decisions.
The Congress MLAs alleged that appointments were being made without their consent. They have complained to the AICC leadership that Mahra’s decisions in organisational appointments were arbitrary take on the whims and fancies of his coterie and close ones.
Venting their ire on Mahra and his associate leaders in the organization, they alleged that the PCC president did not consult them while appointing organisational office bearers of the local party units including booth level workers. They urged the AICC state in-charge Kumari Shailja to allow them to meet her in person besides in the group.
According to the Congress leaders in Dehradun AICC leadership had summoned all party MLAs, former chief ministers, former state presidents, Mahra and other senior party leaders to Delhi to discuss strategy for the upcoming Kedarnath assembly byelection in the state. Barring Dharchula MLA Harish Dhami, all 19 legislators were present in the meeting with the AICC state incharge and missed no opportunity in venting their feelings against the PCC chief.
When contacted, PCC spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasauni said, “It was a scheduled meeting between Congress Legislative Party (CLP) and AICC in charge. It was called to discuss the upcoming Kedarnath assembly by-elections likely to be announced by the Election Commission of India any time in the coming days. It did not happen in haste or in short notice.”
On complaints against the PCC president, Garima said, “I won’t be surprised if the party leaders have expressed their unhappiness on any issue in the meeting with the AICC state in-charge. See, it’s a Congress party forum and leaders are allowed to raise their views irrespective of their feelings. This is how we are different from the BJP.”
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Congress leaders have begun talking of possible change of leadership in the coming days. They said a series of complaints have been registered against Mahra for his poor leadership and inadequate management of the organisational affairs.
“It won’t be surprising if the Uttarakhand Congress gets a new head in the coming days. This can happen even before the Kedarnath byelections. A large number of complaints are lying with them against the state party chief and his close aide” said a senior party leader in Uttarakhand unwilling to disclose his name.