Uttarakhand Assembly polls: Expelled from State Cabinet, BJP; Harak Singh Rawat likely to join Congress today
Jan 17, 2022
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 17 : Ahead of assembly polls, Harak Singh Rawat, who was dismissed from the Uttarakhand cabinet and expelled from the BJP for six years, is likely to join the Congress on Monday.
Rawat and his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain have already left for Delhi on Sunday and both are likely to join the Congress on Monday.
A dramatic turn of events started taking place in Uttarakhand politics after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami sacked Rawat from the Cabinet and the BJP expelled him for six years ahead of assembly polls.
"Harak Singh Rawat and his daughter-in-law have left for Delhi. Rawat is angry because his daughter-in-law is not getting a ticket," a close aide of the cabinet minister told ANI.
When asked whether Rawat and his daughter-in-law had gone to Delhi join Congress, the very close aide of the minister clearly said that they can join Congress if his daughter-in-law does not get a ticket from BJP.
According to sources, Harak Singh Rawat is in touch with the Congress and talks are on to get him in along with two other BJP MLAs.
The only hurdle for Harak Singh Rawat's entry to the party is Harish Rawat, who has reservations from him. A few days back when Harish Rawat was asked about reports of Harak Singh Rawat joining Congress he had replied, "There is no issue if Harak openly admits his mistake and say he did a wrong thing with the party and Uttrakhand, then the doors are open."
According to sources, on Sunday there was an internal meeting scheduled in the Congress War Room of Uttrakhand leaders which were first postponed then it was cancelled.
The Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting of Congress was held on Saturday to finalise the candidates for Uttrakhand Assembly Polls but a list of candidates has not been announced by the party it seems there is some space has left for the entries.
If sources are to be believed, the Congress party is busy convincing Harish Rawat on Harak Singh Rawat joining the party and if the party is successful in doing so, then Harak Singh Rawat will be on the Congress' side on Monday.
Interestingly, Harak Singh Rawat led a rebellion against the then Harish Rawat government in 2016 when nine rebel MLAs including Harak Singh Rawat left the Congress and joined the BJP.
Harak Singh Rawat was seeking a ticket from the Lansdowne assembly seat for his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain.
In Uttarakhand, Congress has taken back Yashpal Arya, who was also BJP MLA, and his son, and are ready to secure Congress tickets in the first list.
In 2016, both Harak Singh Rawat and Yashpal Arya were among ten MLAs who had rebelled against Congress leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat and crossed over to the BJP.
In the last Assembly election, BJP secured the win on 57 seats out of 70 Assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand.
Polls to elect the 70-member State Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held on February 14. The counting will take place on March 10.
