"My Hands Have Been Tied": Harish Rawat's Gripe Appears To Aim At Gandhis

Harish Rawat, one of the Congress's top trouble-shooters, has hinted at new trouble for the party in tweets that appear to be a very public takedown of the Gandhis.

The former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, 73, asks for "margdarshan (guidance)" from God and says "he has had enough" in the tweets, which smack of rebellion just weeks before state polls.

Though Harish Rawat is close to the Gandhis, he appears to accuse the Congress leadership of abandoning him, without naming anyone.

"Isn't it strange? We have to swim in this sea of elections, but instead of supporting me, the organisation has either turned its back on me or is playing a negative role," Harish Rawat writes.

"The powers that be have let loose many crocodiles (predators) in the sea that we have to navigate. Those whom I am supposed to follow, their people have tied my hands and feet. I have been getting the feeling that Harish Rawat, it's gone too far, you have done enough, it is time to rest," he says.

"Then there is a voice in the head that quietly says I am neither weak nor will run from challenges. I am in turmoil. Hope the New Year shows me the way. I am confident that Lord Kedarnath (Shiva), will show me the way," the Congress leader continues, making it clear that he is unhappy and reconsidering his future.

Mr Rawat's warning is loud and clear ahead of the Uttarakhand election due early next year.

Not long ago, he was firefighting for the Congress in Punjab, one of the bigger states heading to polls. As the party's Punjab in-charge, he navigated many difficult months mediating between Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his rival Navjot Singh Sidhu.

He asked to be relieved of his Punjab role so he could concentrate on his home state Uttarakhand, which is also due to vote. On his request, the party replaced him as Punjab in-charge.

But Mr Rawat reportedly felt isolated by party leaders in Uttarakhand.