By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun 10 Aug: Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress President Karan Mahra today expressed his gratitude to the party’s top leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for encouraging the Congress workers of the state on the Kedarnath Pratishtha Raksha Yatra. Mahara also reminded that Gandhi had congratulated the PCC and the Uttarakhand Congress for victory in Badrinath and Mangalore assembly byelections. Meanwhile, the Congress sources have also claimed that the party’s top leader Rahul Gandhi and National President Mallikarjun Kharge are likely to visit Uttarakhand in September to instil enthusiasm among the Congress workers for the upcoming Kedarnath assembly by-election and civic elections in the state. The sources also claimed that Rahul Gandhi may address a rally in Dehradun during his visit to the state.
The sources added that the visit of Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is proposed between 15 and 20 September. The PCC has begun preparations to hold a big rally of both the leaders in Dehradun. State Congress President Karan Mahra said that Rahul Gandhi is currently visiting different states across the country and in respect of Uttarakhand, his visit is proposed next month along with Kharge to enthuse Congress workers for the upcoming Kedarnath assembly by-election and civic elections in the state.
Mahara also claimed that the party high command has already given its consent to the state tour of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in third week of September and the party is preparing to hold a grand rally of both the leaders in Dehradun.
Sources in the party also claimed that Rahul Gandhi has patted the back of state president Karan Mahra on Congress’ victory in Badrinath and Manglaur assembly by-elections. Gandhi has issued a letter praising the victory on both the seats and expressed hope that in future Mahara will continue to take Congress’ policies to every household.
Mahara said that the Congressmen of the state worked unitedly in accordance with the sentiments of Rahul Gandhi, as a result of which victory was achieved in both the assembly constituencies. He said that the policies, thoughts and ideas of Rahul Gandhi always inspire us and he is an ideal leader for Congress workers. He said that the way Rahul Gandhi has taken up the task of raising the problems of the country’s labourers, farmers, unemployed, Agniveers and the poor exploited class of India from the streets up to the level of the Parliament. Mahara added that Rahul Gandhi has personally met these classes and understood their problems and as the Leader of the Opposition, he is raising the voice of the common man in the House, due to which in the coming time the stubborn BJP government of the Centre will be forced to bow down on issues of public interest.
Highly placed sources in the party admit that victory of Congress in recently conducted assembly byelections in Manglaur and Badrinath have given a new lease of life to Karan Mahara’s position as the PCC Chief, otherwise there was a strong speculation within the party that his position as PCC Chief had come under threat following a total washout of the party in the Parliamentary Elections.
