Uttarakhand Congress Serves Show Cause Notice to Leader for Indiscipline

Dehradun: Senior Congress leader Dhirendra Pratap has kicked up a controversy in Uttarakhand by suggesting elevation of cabinet minister Indira Hridayesh as the Deputy Chief Minister prompting the state party leadership to contemplate disciplinary action against him.

Mr Pratap was issued a show cause notice by the party leadership on December 1 asking him to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for making a statement which went against party line, a state Congress office bearer said on the condition of anonymity.

"The party has taken serious note of Pratap's statement. He has been issued a show cause notice and asked to respond to it by December 8... If he had a certain view regarding something he could have raised it on party forum instead of issuing a public statement and creating an unnecessary controversy," he said.

The Congress leader recently stirred the hornet's nest by suggesting in a statement here that the senior most member of Mr Rawat's cabinet, Indira Hridayesh should be made deputy chief minister to facilitate timely implementation of development projects announced by the chief minister.

Mr Pratap had demanded that Ms Hridayesh who holds several portfolios in Harish Rawat's Cabinet including Finance and Parliamentary Affairs should be immediately promoted so that she can monitor and fulfill thousands of promises and declarations made by the chief minister after assuming charge.

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Party sources said the statement by Mr Pratap hurt the chief minister who felt that it will strengthen the opposition BJP's charge that announcements by Mr Rawat were not seeing light of day.

When contacted, Mr Pratap said he had not yet received the show cause notice from the party but had met the chief minister and explained to him his point of view on the matter.

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The leader said he had no intention to hurt anyone.