Supporters of former CLP leader Pritam Singh, Badrinath MLA Rajendra Bhandari resign from the party
Tuesday, 12 April | PNS | Dehradun
As expected, bickering in the Uttarakhand Congress has started with the announcement of names for new Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader by the central leadership of the party. In protest against these appointments the supporters of the former CLP leader Pritam Singh and Badrinath MLA Rajendra Bhandari have started resigning from the party posts. Both these senior leaders were in the race for the post of CLP leader in the state assembly. Pritam Singh’s close confidant Girish Punetha has resigned from the party and targeted former Chief Minister Harish Rawat on social media. In Garhwal, the entire district unit of Chamoli Congress has resigned in protest against the party ignoring the strong claim of Badrinath MLA Rajendra Bhandari for the post of CLP leader.
Chakrata MLA and party stalwart Pritam Singh is said to be very annoyed at the decision of the party. On Monday he said that the party leaders Avinash Pandey and in-charge of the state unit Devendra Yadav should make the report public which ostensibly blames factionalism in the party for the defeat it received in the recent elections. He said that he is ready to resign if the party finds him involved in factionalism.
The spokesperson of Congress party Kamal Raturi has also resigned with the office bearers of Chamoli Congress. He said that to respect the people of Garhwal and Congress workers of the region the party should have made Rajendra Bhandri as the CLP leader. He said that the appointments made by the party on the key posts of PCC president and CLP leader have destroyed the regional equation and ignored the people of Garhwal.
