Rawat's supporters unhappy over Bahuguna's choice as CM

Hours after Congress MP Vijay Bahuguna was named as the next Uttarakhand chief minister, factional fued in the party came to the fore with legislators supporting Harish Rawat huddled in a meeting late tonight to chalk out their strategy.

Hours after Congress MP Vijay Bahuguna was named as the next Uttarakhand chief minister, factional fued in the party came to the fore with legislators supporting Harish Rawat huddled in a meeting late tonight to chalk out their strategy.

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Raising slogans, supporters of Rawat wanted to know why he was ignored for the top slot.

In a bid to mollify a sulking Rawat, Bahuguna, his sister and UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi met the Congress leader.

The legislators owing allegiance to Rawat were confabulating till late in the night.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who was authorised by party MLAs to take a decision in the matter, chose Bahuguna after taking the views of party MPs and MLAs, Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters outside 10 Janpath, the residence of Gandhi, in New Delhi earlier in the day.

The choice of Bahuguna, a cousin of outgoing BJP chief minister B C Khanduri, was made by Gandhi after the party high command had grappled with the issue for days amid diverse pulls and pressures created by several claimants to the top post and demand by independent MLAs whose support is crucial to Congress' securing majority and formation of government.