Rawat’s problem continues as Arya now threatens to quit

Dehradun : The problems for Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, presently under the CBI scanner over the sting CD row, continues as his Cabinet colleague Yashpal Arya has threatened to quit the Congress if he is not nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

Sources said Arya has threatened to leave the Congress and join BJP as he is annoyed for being ignored by the party over the Rajya Sabha berth.

Several people from Haldwani have gone to meet Arya in past 24 hours, but he didn’t meet anyone.

Sources further said Cabinet Minister Preetam Singh met a sulking Arya in Haldwani. The duo are presently en-route Dehradun.

The Congress has given the Rajya Sabha ticket to Pradeep Tamta.

Sources revealed that several Congress leaders are annoyed with the decision of giving the Rajya Sabha berth to Tamta as he is believed to be a close confidante of the Chief Minister.

The people opposing Tamta’s nomination are of the view that he has been publicly critical of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

Reports suggest that Uttarakhand’s Congress in-charge Ambika Soni had assured Arya of getting a nomination for the Rajya Sabha.

Sources, however, said the decision was changed in the last moment and Tamta was nominated because of Rawat’s influence. (ANI)