Uttarakhand elections: I am not in race for CM's post, says ND Tiwari

NEW DELHI: Congress veteran ND Tiwari says he won't pitch himself for the chief minister's post, if the Congress gets a majority in the Uttarakhand elections, because he wants the position to go to a younger person who "would stay completely healthy until the end of his term". At 87, Tiwari says he can't vouch that he will remain healthy until he is 92.

The former chief minister of Uttarakhand doesn't expect any schism in the state Congress over the choice of the next chief minister, if the party is voted to power in the January 30 polls. Tiwari held several key positions at the Centre and served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice. He became the chief minister of Uttarakhand in the first elections held in the state in 2002. Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000.

"There won't be any divisions within the state Congress because party president Sonia Gandhi will ensure that the wish of the majority of Congress legislators will come true. There can't be another way of choosing a person for such a position," he told ET.

According to a state Congress leader, Tiwari, who has stayed away from political limelight since stepping down as governor of Andhra Pradesh over a sex scandal, is known to favour a Dalit becoming the next chief minister.

The leader, who asked not to be named, said Tiwari is likely to rally behind state Congress president Yashpal Arya. A four-time MLA, Arya has served twice as the speaker of the state assembly.

Tiwari would only say that "Arya could be a contender".

The Congress has, neither officially nor unofficially, named a chief ministerial candidate for this year's election.