2019 could see political change: Harish Rawat

Following his defeat in the last year state polls from the Kichha and Haridwar Rural assembly seats, the former chief minister has been devoting time to his new assignment as Congress's general secretary in-charge of Assam and connecting with the people.

During an interaction with reporters at an event here Saturday, Rawat drew an analogy between the change of season marked by Uttarayani and the political changeover that might be awaiting the country this year.

Uttarayani marks the movement of the sun from the southern to the northern hemisphere, marking the end of winters and occurs before Makar Sankranti.

"I hope Uttarayani which marks the birth of a new sun as it begins moving northwards also heralds the emergence of a new sun on the political firmament in 2019," the veteran Congress leader told reporters here.

With the Lok Sabha polls round the corner, Rawat, who enjoys a reputation of a mass leader, has been hosting events to promote local produce.

But, political observers claimed he has been trying to provide platforms to state Congress heavyweight to connect with the electorate.

On December 30, Rawat had hosted a event to promote, lemons, tea and jaggery, and vegetables like kachri and malta.

During a mushroom-kichri event on Saturday, he had invited and felicitated Divya Rawat, who was made the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand's mushroom during the Congress leaders tenure as chief minister.

In July last year, Harish Rawat had thrown a mango party here which was also attended Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Congress insiders, requesting anonymity, said Harish Rawat might be fielded from either Haridwar or the Nainital Lok Sabha seat in the general elections. The Congress, which was routed by the BJP in 2017 assembly polls, faces the challenge of giving a fight to the BJP that has all the five lower house seats in its kitty to stage a political comeback.