During the last one-two months, the developmental works in the state have been suffering mainly due to the factionalism and rivalry between the two. Last week, Rawat had described both the chief minister and the PCC chief, Yashpal Arya, as "bulls" of Uttarakhand.
Amid speculation that Congress high command wants a change of guard in Uttarakhand, both factions, led by Rawat and Bahuguna, have been at loggerheads lodging complaints against each other with the high command. But the high command wants a truce between the two factions and has ruled out any change in the state for the time being.
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With the government's move to throw open the doors of the Kedarnath shrine for pilgrims from October, Rawat, in an astute political move, has sought permission from the chief minister for going to the 8th-century Himalayan shrine. Interestingly, former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had recently trekked along the 25-km route from Guptkashi to reach the shrine to stress that the government had done nothing to improve connectivity after the June 16-17 deluge.
"If the BJP has Nishank, we have Rawat in the Congress," said Bahuguna on being asked to comment whether he would permit Rawat to the shrine. The chief minister also dismissed reports about the change of guard in the media as "unfounded" and said he was being supported by 41 MLAs in the 70-member House.