The All India Congressional Committee (AICC), in its recent reorganization of leadership roles, appointed the former prime minister of Uttarakhand and the party’s national secretary general, Harish Rawat, in charge of its Punjab unit. However, political experts believe that the move is not just a mere elevation, but a sign of the party’s high command’s confidence in him, which could lead to a new political arithmetic in the Uttarakhand unit ahead of the elections of the 2022 Assembly.
Rawat, who was previously in charge of the Assam unit, was handed over from Punjab a few days ago. Since then, state political experts believe that the new role is the result of its “active presence in Uttarakhand, as well as the mark it has left on Assam as its responsible”. They also claim that he could soon get a major role during the upcoming 2022 state assembly elections, which will be crucial for state unity.
“Rawat’s new role definitely speaks volumes about his stature in the party and his terms with the party’s high command, which includes Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. This would surely also lead to new political calculations in the Uttarakhand unit, “said MM Semwal, political expert and professor of political science at Garhwal Central University, Pauri Garhwal.
Also read: Former Union Minister and leader of Bihar, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, dies
Semwal said: “Although it has risen in national politics, its presence is still in the state. No leader in state leadership is close to his stature and he had to work hard to get where he is today. Both the president of the state, Pritam Singh, and the leader of the opposition, Indira Hridayesh, seem to be confined to their respective electoral districts only unlike Rawat, which dominates the Himalayan state.
He also said that given Rawat’s active presence in Uttarakhand, it would not be surprising if he is assigned a vital role in the 2022 elections.
“The only face that Congress could project to the public in the state is just Rawat. No other leader has a pan-state presence like him. It would definitely be used in the 2022 elections, ”he said.
SMA Kazmi, another political expert who has been monitoring state politics for nearly two decades, said Rawat has been rewarded for his loyalty to the Gandhi family, which was evident in the recent letter episode in the party’s national leadership. “.
“Rawat has played his cards very well both at the central and state level. Nationally, he has been loyal to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and, at the state level, he played intrastate politics in a very calculating way. This has paid dividends in the form of Punjab in charge, ”said Kazmi.
On his role in the 2022 Uttarakhand Assembly polls, he said ‘his plate is full’.
“The stakes are high in both Punjab and Uttarakhand, and Assembly elections will be held in both states around the same year. In Punjab, he would like to retain the power of the party, while in Uttarakhand he would like the party to win and become the CM himself. Therefore, their role in the Uttarakhand polls has now become more important, ”he said.
Given Rawat’s stature in the party, the head of the state congressional unit Pritam Singh and the leader of the Opposition Hridayesh, who consider themselves to be on Rawat’s opposing factions, took to social media to congratulate Rawat on the new role. .
On the new responsibility and his possible role in Uttarakhand considering the 2022 elections, Rawat said that “he is always ready for any responsibility in Uttarakhand to help the party.”
“I am very grateful to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for giving me this opportunity to serve the Punjab. This role will also help me to work in Uttarakhand also as per party requirements. I work in Chandigarh in the morning and I work in Dehradun in the afternoon on the same day. There are no problems for me, ”Rawat said.
Rawat also said that his new role “will really help the party in Uttarakhand as well.”
“Punjab is a very important state for Uttarakhand in terms of culture, economy and agriculture. The Uttarakhand unit could surely take advantage of my work in Punjab. I can dance the same melody in both Punjab and Uttarakhand, ”he said.
“Today, I have been working as a catalyst for the leadership of the Uttarakhand unit and will continue to do so.”
.
