Manish Tewari speaks out on Harish Rawat issue, says ‘First Assam, then Punjab’
G-23 leader Manish Tewari has commented on Congress leadership crisis in a sarcastic tweet a day after Harish Rawat, who was firefighting in Punjab a few days ago, said his hands were tied.
Congress G-23 leader Manish Tewari on Thursday posted a cryptic tweet criticising Harish Rawat and indirectly the Congress leadership, a day after senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat stirred a fresh row for the Grand Old Party, expressing dissatisfaction over the factionalism in the state unit of the party. Pointing out a pattern, Tewari said, "First Assam, then Punjab, now Uttarakhand." “Bhog poora hi paun gaye. Kasar na rahe jawe koi,” Tewari tweeted. Harish Rawat played a crucial role in the functioning of the party units in all these states.
Harish Rawat, who was taking care of the affairs in Punjab and was the Congress's trusted man in resolving the issue between Navjot Sidhu and Amarinder Singh, which finally led to Amarinder Singh's exit from the CM post and then from the party, on Wednesday said his hands were being tied. He alleged non-cooperation from the party's Uttarakhand unit and dropped a hint that the idea that 'it is time to rest' has been crossing his mind.
"Isn't it strange, one has to swim in the sea in the form of forthcoming electoral battle, instead of cooperation, the organisation has turned away its face or is playing a negative role," Rawat said. "There are many crocodiles of the ruling dispensation. On whose directions one has to swim, their nominees are tying my hands and feet," he added.
The cryptic tweets triggered speculations on whether Rawat is now finding himself in the place of Amarinder Singh, who claimed he was insulted by the Congress leadership. Later on Wednesday, Harish Rawat was asked to clarify his tweets to which he said, "When the time comes, I will call you (media) and share it with you. For now, enjoy this."
Amarinder Singh, who has floated Punjab Lok Congress, to challenge Sidhu and the Congress apparently found a moment of divine justice in Harish Rawat's disgruntlement in the party and said, "You reap what you sow! All the best for your future endeavours (if there are any)"