This Article is From Dec 23, 2021

Congress' New Problem Seems To Be Harish Rawat, Trusted Aide To Gandhis

Harish Rawat: The former Uttarakhand Chief Minister asks for "margdarshan (guidance)" from God and says "he has had enough" in tweets, which smack of rebellion just weeks before state polls.

Congress' New Problem Seems To Be Harish Rawat, Trusted Aide To Gandhis

Harish Rawat's warning is loud and clear, with the Uttarakhand election due early next year.

Highlights

  • Harish Rawat's tweets appear to be a very public takedown of the Gandhis
  • He asks for "margdarshan" from God and says "he has had enough"
  • He appears to accuse the Congress leadership of abandoning him
New Delhi:

Harish Rawat, one of the Congress's top trouble-shooters, has hinted that he may soon be the one causing trouble for the party, with tweets that appear to be a very public takedown of the Gandhis.

The former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, 73, asks for "margdarshan (guidance) from Lord Kedarnath" and says "he has had enough" in the posts that smack of rebellion just weeks before polls in the hill state.

Though Harish Rawat is close to the Gandhis, he seems to accuse the Congress leadership of abandoning him.

"Isn't it strange? We have to swim in this sea of elections, but instead of supporting me, the organisation has either turned its back on me or is playing a negative role," Harish Rawat writes.

"The powers-that-be have let loose many crocodiles (predators) in the sea that we have to navigate. Those whom I am supposed to follow, their people have tied my hands and feet. I have been thinking... Harish Rawat, it's gone too far, you have done enough, it is time to rest," he says.

"Then there is a voice in the head that quietly says I am neither weak nor will run from challenges. I am in turmoil. Hope the New Year shows me the way. I am confident that Lord Kedarnath (Shiva), will show me the way," the Congress leader continues, making it clear that he is unhappy and reconsidering his future.

Mr Rawat's warning is loud and clear ahead of the Uttarakhand election due early next year. He is a member of the Congress Working Committee and also the party's face in Uttarakhand.

Not long ago, he was firefighting for the Congress in Punjab, one of the states heading to polls early next year. As the party's Punjab in-charge, he navigated many difficult months mediating between Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his rival Navjot Singh Sidhu.

He asked to be relieved of his Punjab role so he could concentrate on his home state Uttarakhand. On his request, the party replaced him as Punjab in-charge.

But Mr Rawat reportedly felt isolated by party leaders in Uttarakhand.

The Congress is confident of returning to power in Uttarakhand, with the state's ruling BJP neck-deep in infighting.

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