New Delhi: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna Joshi on Saturday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi a day after the Election Commission announced the date for bye-election to Sitarganj Assembly constituency in the state from where he is likely to contest next month.
Bahuguna had become Chief Minister after tiding over a revolt by a faction of the party led by Union Minister Harish Rawat.
Though the revolt was contained, there are apprehensions that winning an assembly seat for Bahuguna, who is a Lok Sabha member from Tehri Garhwal, could be a challenge due to dissension in the party.
The by-poll will be held July 8. The vacancy has been created following the resignation of BJP MLA from Sitarganj, Kiran Mandal who joined Congress a few days back.
Gandhi also had a meeting with the newly-elected CLP leader of Uttar Pradesh Pradeep Mathur who replaced Pramod Tewari.
There is speculation that Tewari could be drafted for party work in AICC. Rita Bahugunja Joshi had tendered her resignation as PCC chief immediately after the party`s assembly poll debacle in Uttar Pradesh amid indications that the state unit of the party will undergo a reshuffle.
PTI
