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NEW DELHI: Congress is likely to decide the chief minister of Uttarakhand based on who can consolidate its gains for the 2014 battle, with exit polls setting off a brainstorming over the future state leadership.
While Congress expects a comfortable tally in the assembly polls, the party is beset with lobbying from warring groups, each peddling its own USP from caste to gender to region.
Congress, however, is likely to focus on the big picture, keen as it is to balance local compulsions with its national concerns. "We won all five seats in the Lok Sabha. But in 2014, we are already looking at losses in key states and will have to save every possible seat. That will be a big factor in deciding who should lead Uttarakhand," a key party leader said.
While Congress has contenders like its three MPs (Vijay Bahuguna from Tehri, Satpal Maharaj from Pauri and Harish Rawat from Haridwar) and state leaders like Indira Hridyesh and state unit chief Yashpal Arya and leader of opposition Harak Singh Rawat, informed insiders said the leadership may have looked to project Harish Rawat for the top state job by making him the only minister at the Centre.
The need to balance local and national concerns, with 2014 in focus, is set to intensify lobbying in a post-win scenario on Tuesday. Sources said it would be a huge task to placate rival camps, which are daggers drawn most of the time, and to whom the leadership stressed the importance of unity in the run-up to polls.
The tough job of picking a leader, despite the tiny size of the state, stems from its geographical diversity and social heterogeneity, all of which miraculously fell in place for Congress to sweep the state in Lok Sabha polls.
The state is divided into Garhwal, Kumaon and plains and there is no leader who transcends the divide in acceptability stakes after the retirement of N D Tiwari.
There was a serious dearth of a 'star campaigner' during campaigning when most leaders, barring Harish Rawat, were tied to their local seats. Insiders said Rawat could do it because while being from Kumaon, he has managed to cultivate Haridwar as his turf after winning in 2009. He also has a following in the Garhwal region.
Sources said the post-poll scenario, even if the party wins, would not be easy since BJP too would be working with 2014 in mind. BJP's aggressive charge with B C Khanduri as mascot in these polls is likely to see it continue the pressure on Congress even if it loses the assembly polls.
A stumble can aggravate the situation for future since beside BJP, BSP remains a formidable force in the plains with the backing of dalit and Muslim population in Haridwar, Roorkee and Uddhamsingh Nagar.
A senior UPA minister said the need was for an able administrator and organizational manager. "What we need is a leader who can manage both the government and party," he added.
While Congress expects a comfortable tally in the assembly polls, the party is beset with lobbying from warring groups, each peddling its own USP from caste to gender to region.
Congress, however, is likely to focus on the big picture, keen as it is to balance local compulsions with its national concerns. "We won all five seats in the Lok Sabha. But in 2014, we are already looking at losses in key states and will have to save every possible seat. That will be a big factor in deciding who should lead Uttarakhand," a key party leader said.
While Congress has contenders like its three MPs (Vijay Bahuguna from Tehri, Satpal Maharaj from Pauri and Harish Rawat from Haridwar) and state leaders like Indira Hridyesh and state unit chief Yashpal Arya and leader of opposition Harak Singh Rawat, informed insiders said the leadership may have looked to project Harish Rawat for the top state job by making him the only minister at the Centre.
The need to balance local and national concerns, with 2014 in focus, is set to intensify lobbying in a post-win scenario on Tuesday. Sources said it would be a huge task to placate rival camps, which are daggers drawn most of the time, and to whom the leadership stressed the importance of unity in the run-up to polls.
The tough job of picking a leader, despite the tiny size of the state, stems from its geographical diversity and social heterogeneity, all of which miraculously fell in place for Congress to sweep the state in Lok Sabha polls.
The state is divided into Garhwal, Kumaon and plains and there is no leader who transcends the divide in acceptability stakes after the retirement of N D Tiwari.
There was a serious dearth of a 'star campaigner' during campaigning when most leaders, barring Harish Rawat, were tied to their local seats. Insiders said Rawat could do it because while being from Kumaon, he has managed to cultivate Haridwar as his turf after winning in 2009. He also has a following in the Garhwal region.
Sources said the post-poll scenario, even if the party wins, would not be easy since BJP too would be working with 2014 in mind. BJP's aggressive charge with B C Khanduri as mascot in these polls is likely to see it continue the pressure on Congress even if it loses the assembly polls.
A stumble can aggravate the situation for future since beside BJP, BSP remains a formidable force in the plains with the backing of dalit and Muslim population in Haridwar, Roorkee and Uddhamsingh Nagar.
A senior UPA minister said the need was for an able administrator and organizational manager. "What we need is a leader who can manage both the government and party," he added.
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