"Challenging time for Congress": Harish Rawat on grassroots approach to revitalise party ahead of 2027 Uttarakhand polls

He requested to be appointed as president of a polling booth in Dehradun's Dharampur, emphasising the need for senior leaders to strengthen their local presence.

Speaking with ANI, Rawat said that Congress leaders must work at the booth level, focusing on basics and rebuilding the party from the ground up. He suggested that all senior leaders dedicate at least a week to this effort, prioritising party growth over politics.

"It is a challenging time for Congress. It is our responsibility as senior leaders to strengthen our and our nearby booths and work on the grassroots levels... I have even suggested to our State President that all senior Congress leaders should work on the booth level for at least a week... We all need to work on our basics... There is no politics in this...," said Rawat.

Around 15 months ago, before the Uttarakhand Assembly elections, the Congress party had already announced its election team, a move that had stirred the political corridors. The Congress acted unusually early this time, not only replacing its state president but also forming both the election campaign and management committees well in advance.

Learning from the experience of seeing factionalism during the 2022 elections, the Congress high command appears to have moved strategically this time, restructuring the organisation and aligning caste equations well before the 2027 Assembly elections. The development is sure to intensify political activity across the state.

Uttarakhand's 70-member assembly held its last elections in February 2022. The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led BJP in the state had secured 47 seats, way past the 35-seat halfway mark. Congress won 19 seats. The BJP-led government is seeking a third term in the assembly, having been in power since 2017 under Trivendra Singh Rawat as CM. Pushkar Dhami was appointed as CM in July 2021. (ANI)