 "Bahuguna faces rough weather")
Sources in the ruling Congress government here said the party high command wasn't happy with Bahuguna and was considering a change of guard in the state. However, as of now, no successor has been chosen among members of the legislative assembly (MLAs), who are divided between different factions led by Bahuguna, Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat and member of Parliament from Pauri, Satpal Maharaj, and Bahuguna.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, in Dehradun to take stock of the situation, is understood to have been asked by the party high command to gauge the general mood of the party workers in the state. On returning to New Delhi, he would report directly to party president Sonia Gandhi.
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"The mood among the public in Uttarakhand and outside is against the Congress government in the state because of the inordinate delay in starting rescue operations," said a cabinet minister, on condition of anonymity.
A section of party leaders owing allegiance to Harish Rawat is seeking the removal of Bahuguna with immediate effect. "Bahuguna must go if we have to face the general elections next year. Otherwise, we will lose all the five Lok Sabha seats," said an MLA from the Rawat camp.
Some party leaders feel Bahuguna is spending more time in New Delhi than in Uttarakhand. "Even on the day the disaster struck Uttarakhand, Bahuguna was in New Delhi," the leader said.
In the areas he visited to take stock of the situation, Bahuguna has drawn criticism. Yesterday, Congress MLA from Badrinath, Rajendra Bhandari, alleged he was being threatened by the chief minister, who had gone to Badrinath.
Rawat is being ruled out as Bahuguna's successor, since he is not an MLA. State party chief Yashpal Arya, finance minister Indira Hiradayesh, Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal and agriculture minister Harak Singh Rawat were among those who could be given the responsibility, party leaders said.