While the tickets distribution is becoming a cumbersome task for both the closely contesting national political parties viz Congress and BJP in Uttarakhand with AAP already declaring its second list, the snatching of all the posts of Uttarakhand Congress senior leader, two term MLA from Tehri Garhwal who had worked in close proximity with former PM Rajiv Gandhi n stood as a Nehru Gandhi family n Congress loyalist since 1980 Kishore Upadhyay has definitely created a stir in the party though already ridden with factionalism but highly optimistic to form the next government in Uttarakhand.
In the recent past when rumours were raised against Kishore Upadhyay of his joining the BJP, he had flatly and strongly denied these accusations terming them as biased n baseless, accusing his detractors to deliberately malign him terming his few meetings with BJP leaders as just courtesy call to appeal them to include some of the important issues of forest rights movement ( Uttarakhand Vanadhikar Andolan) in their election menifesto, appealing other parties as well to do the needful, including Congress.
He had appealed to the party president Ganesh Godiyal and Harish Rawat too to do the needful by writing them letters in this regard.
But, his statement was not relied upon and was labelled as an anti party activist and leader harming the interests of Congress and betraying the trust of Congress leaders and workers who are working hard to revamp the party to oust the corrupt, inefficient and anti people saffron party government from power.
He was accused by the incharge of Uttarakhand Congress Devendra Yadav for hobnobbing with BJP n other party leaders, clandestinely and not hearing to earlier repeated warnings of the seniors in the party. The letter sent to Upadhyay unambiguously said that when the people of Uttarakhand are yearning fir change and are waiting to throw out the corrupt BJP government and widespread anger with the maladministration, misgovernance and allround corruption aided and abetted by the saffron party leadership he was busy hobnobbing with the BJP leaders to weaken the party in the state.
This is indeed a very serious charge on Kishore Upadhyay, a former Uttarakhand Congress chief during veteran leader Harish Rawat’s tenure as CM in 2016 n 17, standing rock solid with the government, party and Rawat during the most critical times when more than 11 senior Congress leaders, ministers n lawmakers including a former CM Vijay Bahuguna had defected to BJP, destabilising the Congress government led by the then CM Harish Rawat say political analysts.
Upadhyay at this critical time was standing rock solid with the party n government and continued till date even losing his claim for Rajya Sabha as well as his Tehri Garhwal assembly ticket from where he was MLA twice, making an independent MLA Dhanai a minister keeping him in dark by Harish Rawat, whiile he was CM and also compelling him to contest from Sahaspur, unwillingly leading to his calculated defeat as per Kishore Upadhyay’s charges few months ago,
While defected Congress leaders today being held in high esteem like duo father and son Yashpal Arya, and Sanjeev Arya who joined the parent party were heartily welcomed with open arms, Kishore Upadhyay who never left Congress but served it with wholehearted dedication standing rock solid with the party till date has been insulted and removed from all party positions at a critical time when Congress need cohesive unity and harmony the most say his close friends n political analysts.
His only fault was that he aired his grievances openly on genuine issues and met few BJP leaders like Ajay, Prahlad Joshi and Anil Baluni refuting all rumours of joining BJP.
Doesn’t it sound unjustifiable and gives an impression that internal party democracy in Congress is fading away and airing of views for any worker and leader is missing altogether though opportunist leaders are being welcomed with open arms who were the worst targets of Congress n it’s senior leaders earlier, terming them as murderers of democracy, destabilising a duly democratic elected government in 2017 argue Kishore’s supporters.
This was the accusation by none other but veteran Congress leader Harish Rawat discouraging the old Congress leaders defected to BJP but interested to join Congress now, fearing losing on BJP tickets.
What is interesting in this entire development is that no Congress leader even Harish Rawat at least for the name sake came to the rescue of Kishore Upadhyay, unambiguously showing that his days are numbered in Congress compelling him to leave the party either on his own or be ready for consequences or will be left the leader of no consequence in the Congress say his supporters.
Meanwhile there are affirmative indications that insulted Congress leader Kishore Upadhyay may leave the party shortly creating quite a huge political explosion in Uttarakhand Congress along with several of his confidante local leaders. He has said that he will reveal his final stand on this development a day after though not confirming anything about his possible defection to BJP while speaking to this journalist.
Sources say that may be, he is touch with senior BJP leaders especially Anil Baluni finalising certain pre conditions or giving a serious thought on the issue discussing on various pros and cons of his leaving the party.
However, feeling extremely disgusted, having been sidetracked since long in Congress, there are sure sort indications of his joining BJP reminding of what happened with the then political stalwart HN Bahuguna who was compelled to leave Congress on principled issues like 1975 emergency and conflict with Sanjay Gandhi, predict people closely following the developments.
Kindly recall that disgruntled Upadhyay had been raising certain issues openly in social media giving a clear cut impression that he is being sidelined in the party deliberately by not given any significant position in the organisation as well as taking into confidence as other senior leaders. He had backed the demand of the national general secretary of Mahila Congress Anupama Rawat, daughter of former CM to give 40% tickets to women and also annoying Rawat through his social media post blaming him with regard to the Sahaspur assembly seat leading to his defeat compelling former CM to counter his charges etc. He had also compelled the party to include the demands of Vanadhikar andolan in Congress manifesto, sounding more like an opposition leader. There were reports of his being kept out of certain important bodies of the party like screening committee n ticket distribution bodies of Uttarakhand.
