Congress yet to decide on seats for heavyweights

DEHRADUN

: While the ruling Congress is upbeat about returning to power in

Uttarakhand

after the 2017 polls, it appears to be in a bind when it comes to the allotment of seats to about half-a-dozen senior leaders, including Harish Rawat and Kishore Upadhyay, who are spearheading the party’s poll campaign.

To make the situation more complicated, PDF has not made it clear whether its member would contest as Independent or as part of Congress. It leaves the fate of leaders like Soorveer Singh Sajwan hanging in a balance.
For CM Rawat, it is a toss between Kumaon and Garhwal.

After being named as chief minister, Rawat contested by-poll from Dharchula seat of Pithoragarh district in 2014. But, as Rawat is from

Almora

in Kumaon region, speculations are abuzz that he may contest on a seat in his home district.

Meanwhile, political corridors are also abuzz with the talks that Rawat may contest from a seat in

Haridwar

or Dehradun. Some insiders are of the view that he may not contest at all, and if Congress is voted to power Rawat may opt for a by-poll.

Similarly, there is no clarity on state Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay’s seat. In 2012, Upadhyay had lost to Independent candidate Dinesh Dhanai by a narrow margin of 377 votes.
With PDF not clearing its stand, Upadhyay’s prospective seat remains a mystery.

There have been talks that Upadhyay may eye Rishikesh seat, which was won by BJP’s Prem Chandra Agarwal in 2012.

If insiders are to be believed, the two seniors on whom the Congress is banking to head it campaign, may opt for a seat in Dehradun, preferably Raipur -- where Congress rebel

Umesh Sharma Kau

was elected in 2012.

“While the tickets of almost all the sitting MLAs is almost final, there is an element of uncertainty on the seats of seniors like Rawat, Upadhyay, Soorveer Sajwan, Tilak Raj Behad and Suryakant Dhasmana,” a senior Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.