We will not change Uttarakhand CM: Congress

The Congress high command on Saturday assured rebel Uttarakhand leader Harish Rawat that he will get his due but ruled out any change in the post of chief minister.

The name of Rawat's wife Renuka is being considered among a few others for Rajya Sabha nomination for the lone vacant seat from the hill state, All India Congress Committee general secretary Chaudhary Birender Singh said.

He said the names of senior Member of Legislative Assembly Indira Hridayesh, former Member of Parliament Mahendra Pal and retiring member Satyavrat Chaturvedi are also being considered for the seat.

Replying to questions, Singh made it clear that the high command was not thinking of having any deputy chief minister in the state at present.

"The high command wants to give Rawat his due," he said, adding that Vijay Bahuguna was chosen as the CM after due consideration.

Singh made it clear that the three issues were interlinked including the election of Speaker on March 26, vote on account on March 28 and election to the Rajya Sabha on March 30, suggesting that the leadership has to devise a strategy taking this into account.

Talking to reporters in Dehradun earlier in the day, Bahuguna said that "talks are on" to defuse the crisis in the fledgling party-led government in Uttarakhand.

Efforts to bring the warring factions continue as the party faces the daunting task of winning the trust vote on the floor of the state assembly in the wake of the revolt against his leadership.

Harak Singh Rawat, an MLA and a close confidant of sulking Union minister Harish Rawat, an aspirant for the CM's post, denied media reports that he was being offered the post of the deputy chief minister. On Friday, Bahuguna met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and said he was confident of resolving all differences with Harish Rawat.

Fourteen party MLAs, reportedly loyal to Harish Rawat who revolted against the appointment of Bahuguna as CM, are yet to take oath.