New twist: Rawat supports Bahuguna, opposes 'outsider'

The election for the lone Rajya Sabha seat is scheduled for November 20

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has reluctantly agreed to support former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna for the lone Rajya Sabha seat, the election for which is scheduled for November 20.

Amid indications that the party high command may give the Upper House berth from the state to the top Congress leaders, contenders include Ghulam Nabi Azad, the chief minister's new stance to support Bahuguna is being seen as his tactful move to oppose an "outsider". A host of the state party leaders have also started opposing the Congress high command's move to give the berth to a non-Uttarakhandi.

Bahuguna, an MLA from Sitarganj constituency, had been meeting top Congress leaders in New Delhi to lobby for the Rajya Sabha seat which fell vacant after the resignation of BJP leader Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who got elected from Nainital Lok Sabha seat. Last week, Bahuguna met party President Sonia Gandhi to lay his claim over the seat.

Hours later, Rawat met Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to convince him that Bahuguna should not be allowed to vacate his Sitarganj seat as the party is still one seat short of the majority in the state assembly.

On the other hand, Congress sources said Bahuguna not only wants the Rajya Sabha seat for himself but is also keen that his son Saurav should succeed him from Sitarganj. However, Rawat is not ready to support Saurav from Sitarganj and wants the MLA seat to be given to his own loyalist in case Bahuguna gets the Rajya Sabha seat.

"At the moment, the tussle between Rawat and Bahuguna is on the Sitarganj seat. Rawat has no problem if Bahuguna gets Rajya Sabha seat," a top Congress leader close to the chief minister said.

Rawat had been facing severe infighting in the party ever since he took over the command of the state from Bahuguna in February. After the change of guard, Bahuguna had been seeking cabinet berths for his staunch supporters, such as Subodh Unniyal. But this demand is unacceptable to Rawat.