Congress adopts One Family, One Ticket formula in Uttarakhand ahead of polls

Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi has announced that One Family, One Ticket formula will be strictly followed in Uttarakhand Assembly polls. However, veteran leaders and their sons and daughters are not in a mood to give up, and many have started demanding seats.

Delhi: Congress party had made it clear in Uttarakhand that only one member from a family will be getting a ticket in the upcoming Assembly polls. The party's ex-president and senior leader Rahul Gandhi revealed the strict policy during a meeting held after his recent Dheradun rally. However, some of the party's senior leaders are not in a mood to follow the party directive.

From state Congress Campaign Committee head Harish Rawat to opposition leader in the Assembly Pritam Singh, the sons and daughters of several veteran leaders have started demanding tickets, making it difficult for the Congress screening committee headed by Avinash Pandey to handle the situation.

The committee also includes party's Uttarakhand in-charge Devendra Yadav, state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal, Harish Rawat, Rajesh Dharmani and Pritam Singh.

Sons of Harish Rawat, the former chief minister, Virendra and Anand both have already demanded tickets for themselves. Rawat's daughter Anupama Rawat, who is holding the post of National General Secretary of Mahila Congress. also expressed her desire for a seat to contest in Haridwar district. She has even approached the Pandey, who is taking interviews of Congress candidates seeking tickets.

It has not been decided who will be contesting from the Haldwani seat, which belonged to the late leader Indira Hridayesh. Her son Sumit Hridayesh is making claim on it, but several others also have an eye on the seat.

The list doesn't end here as Pritam Singh, told to be a strong rival of Harish Rawat also wants his son Abhishek in the legislative assembly and demanding ticket for the same.

Another prominent leader is, Yashpal Arya who left BJP and his cabinet post to join the Congress. It was said that his son Sanjeev Arya won't be getting a ticket from BJP and that's why he left the party and Joined congress securing a ticket for his son. But the latest decision of Congress party might backfire on him. If the High Command sticks to the one family one ticket formula, either Yashpal Arya has to contest or he will have to sacrifice his seat for son Sanjeev Arya.

If the senior leaders won't settle for anything other than a party ticket, the coming days would be problematic for the Congress leadership.