Dehradun:
Eager to defuse the political crisis in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna is likely to offer an olive branch to the sulking congress MP Harish Rawat.
Mr Bahuguna is said to announce the name of the sole Rajya Sabha candidate from Uttarakhand. Sources say it could be Mahendra Singh Mahra, two-time MLA and close relative of Mr Rawat.
The move comes after Harish Rawat said he had not received any 'concrete' proposals from the Central leadership to compensate him.
"The real acid test would be on the 29th when I will be seeking a vote of confidence. And on the 26th, when the Speaker will be elected. These things will show that my government is not in the ICU, we are facing some teething problems," he told NDTV.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi held deliberations with Mr Bahuguna and senior party leaders yesterday in a bid to resolve the matter.
Congress general secretary in-charge for Uttarakhand Chaudhary Birender Singh, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Mrs Gandhi's political secretary Ahmad Patel were also present in the meeting, party sources said.
The Congress has 32 members in the 70-member Assembly and has the support of seven non-BJP members to muster the requisite majority.
Fourteen of the Congress MLAs owing allegiance to Rawat are yet to take oath, thereby posing hurdles in government formation. Mr Bahuguna had taken oath as Chief Minister last Tuesday.
But Mr Bahuguna is facing an uphill task to bring the warring factions together to provide stability to his fledgling government. Till this is achieved, he is finding it difficult to expand his ministry.
The three independents and the four legislators - three from BSP and one from Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, who are supporting the Congress government, are also demanding their pound of flesh and have to be accommodated, Congress sources said.