Cong factionalism surfaces during Harish Rawat’s Pithoragarh visit

Pithoragarh: Signs of factionalism within the Congress party came to the fore during senior leader Harish Rawat's visit to Pithoragarh on Wednesday.Rawat arrived in the district to participate in the Dharchula Mahotsav and landed at Naini Saini airport. However, neither local MLA Mayukh Mahar nor former district president Mahendra Lunthi was present to receive him. Only the current district president Mukesh Pant was present with his supporters.The MLA was reportedly upset during the local body polls. He wanted a party ticket for his supporter, Monika Mahar, but the party gave the ticket to Anju Lunthi. Mayukh openly backed Monika, who lost to the BJP candidate by 17 votes, while the Congress official candidate came third.After the local body election, Rawat came to Pithoragarh and went to Mahar's home to pacify him, but it reportedly failed to cut the ice. Rawat said that MLA Mahar was not present here, but he was with them.Sources suggested that Mahendra Lunthi, considered close to senior Congress leader Yashpal Arya, was also absent at the airport. He was seen as an aspirant for a party ticket in the future.When asked about their absence, Mahar said he was out of Pithoragarh, and Lunthi said he had some pre-engagement, so they were not present. Party insiders, however, indicated that internal differences may have played a role in their absence.