Intense lobbying on within Cong for lone RS seat

Dehradun, Nov 1 (PTI) With election to one vacant Rajya Sabha seat in Uttarakhand due on November 20, lobbying within the ruling Congress for the seat has intensified with the two factions of the party in the state mounting pressure on the high command for a decision of their choice.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat wants the seat for one of his team members while Bahuguna wants it for himself, party functionaries here said requesting anonymity.

Bahuguna who is camping in Delhi had a meeting with party chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday where he is understood to have discussed the matter with her in detail whereas Rawat has met party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, party incharge for Uttarakhand Ambika Soni and co-incharge Sanjay Kapoor with his own shortlist of probables including Pradesh Party chief Kishore Upadhyay and former party MP from Almora Pradeep Tamta, PCC sources here said.

Rawat has paid several visits to Delhi over the past one week to get the seat for one of his chosen favourites, prompting Opposition BJP to advise him to reduce his visits to the party high command and concentrate on solving problems of people in calamity hit areas of the state.

Ever since Bahuguna had to step down as chief minister of the state to make way for Harish Rawat he is said to have been mounting pressure on the high command for a suitable compensation and a possible election to the Upper House is a golden opportunity, they said. However, the high command appears to be in no hurry to announce a nominee for the seat.

Speculation is also rife about an outsider being finally declared as the party nominee. But PCC sources here said this possibility is thin with the two party heavyweights pressuring the leadership for a decision to the contrary.

Election to the vacant Rajya Sabha seat in Uttarakhand will be held on November 20. Though a notification in this regard will be issued on November 3, Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi said the programme has already been drawn up. November 10 will be the last date for filing nominations followed by scrutiny on November 11.

November 13 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations while polling will be held on November 20 from 9 AM to 4 PM, she said. Election to the Rajya Sabha seat was necessitated after Bhagat Singh Koshiyari of the BJP was elected to the Lok Sabha. There are three Rajya Sabha seats in Uttarakhand, the other two being represented by Tarun Vijay of the BJP and Mahendra Singh Mahra of the Congress.

PTI