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Dehradun: Days after advocating for a Dalit chief minister in Uttarakhand, Congress general secretary and former state CM Harish Rawat said he would also be willing to lead the government if the party comes to power in the 2022 assembly elections.
In an interview to ThePrint on Saturday, Rawat said he was unwilling to contest the assembly elections as there was a “lack of funds” as those who handled the finances for him when he was chief minister left him.
Rawat, who was in charge of the Congress for Punjab till October, also justified the removal of Captain Amarinder Singh as the chief minister of that state, alleging that he was acting like a “BJP-Akali Dal agent”. Were.
No commitment on who will be CM
Speaking about the upcoming elections in Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat remained firm on who would be the next Chief Minister if his party comes to power.
Rawat while addressing a public meeting during Congress’s Parivartan Yatra in Laksar constituency of Haridwar said After the appointment of Charanjit Singh Channi on 25 October First Dalit CM of Punjab, “I want to pray to the almighty that let me see a Dalit become the CM of Uttarakhand in my lifetime”.
Speaking to ThePrint, he said that he is ready to lead the government if the Congress wins the 2022 state elections, keeping in mind the Congress’ stand on social justice and equal opportunities for all, as a Dalit CM. Stand by your will. “When we talk of social justice, we also have to create a parallel leadership,” Rawat said.
“If the people of Uttarakhand give mandate to the Congress party and our central leadership wants it, then I will not hesitate to take the responsibility of running the government,” he said. Two days back I had gone to Kedarnath temple and someone asked what I had dedicated to the deity. Suddenly, I had nothing to say, but my reply was, ‘I wish God would make me the chief minister again’, Rawat said with a smile.
He said that “choosing the chief ministerial candidate was not an issue for the Congress, as there are many capable leaders in the party”.
While Rawat said he was not inclined to contest next year’s assembly elections due to “lack of funds”, he reiterated that if the party leadership wanted to field him for the election, he would not be able to refuse.
“Elections require huge funds. Those who had the money (close aides who handled their finances and money while their chief minister) have now left me. How can I manage that department? Though I am not inclined to contest this assembly election, but if the party leadership wants me to do so, I cannot even run.
The former Uttarakhand CM expressed confidence that the Congress party would return to governance in the 2022 assembly elections, as he claimed that the voters of Uttarakhand were disillusioned with the BJP, the Modi-Shah duo and the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government in the state. happened. .
“They (voters) fell for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hindutva (narrative) in 2017, thinking the two were inseparable. But now they have understood that it was a false notion. Otherwise why BJP had to change its CM twice in Uttarakhand? Rawat said.
In March this year, BJP’s Trivendra Singh Rawat was Took place As the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand by Tirath Singh Rawat. Months later, the latter was replaced by Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Rawat claimed that hundreds of BJP MLAs are queuing to join the Congress in Uttarakhand, but the party will take only those who have the potential to win the elections. “Around 25-30 BJP MLAs and leaders are eager to switch to Congress, but they will be filtered on the basis of their victory. We cannot ignore our leaders and candidates who have worked hard to strengthen the organization.
Read also: Boycott BJP or face music – Sikh farmer leaders in Uttarakhand warn community ahead of elections
‘Dhami and his government, the best in illegal mining’
Rawat attacked the BJP and Uttarakhand CM Dhami, claiming that their only achievement so far was illegal river-bed material mining. He also accused him for his alleged failure to save lives during the natural calamity in Uttarakhand. heavy rain in the state this year.
Illegal mining in the state has increased manifold since Pushkar Singh Dhami became the chief minister two months ago. The BJP government is the best in this. At least four bridges collapsed during the Kumaon rains, killing several people, despite Amit Shah claiming that the Center had already alerted the state about the impending disaster hours. One of the reasons for the collapse of bridges is that their hideouts were weakened by river bed mining. Today we have a mining expert CM and his government. Nothing good can be expected from them,” alleged Rawat.
Rawat termed the Dhami government’s alleged failure in managing the recent rain-induced floods and landslides in the hills and plains of Kumaon as a “criminal offence”.
Referring to the collapse of a bridge in Nainital’s Ramgarh area, Rawat alleged, “Imagine the magnitude of their failure – the government could hardly rescue the people trapped under the 8-10 meter wide bridge for almost a day and a half.” Heavy rain.
“The chief minister did not even convene a meeting to take stock of the preparedness of the state to deal with the disaster. This shows their lack of concern for the well being of the people. Amit Shah lauded her for her handling of the disaster, but did not announce any relief fund, which was mandated on her part. It was a criminal offense by the state government.”
Rawat also claimed that the Congress party would make the Dhami government’s disaster management failure an election issue. “We will go to the people and tell them how our government behaved 2013 Himalayan Tsunami And the lax attitude of the BJP government in saving the lives of those trapped in the Kumaon rain disaster of 2021,” the Congress leader said.
Rawat targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled The visit to Kedarnath on 5th November, it is called “Nautanki”. “The people of Uttarakhand are well aware that the Prime Minister’s Kedarnath Yatra is only a popular political move. It has nothing to do with the state,” Rawat said.
The PM’s Kedarnath Yatra will mark the closure of the temple for winter and the inauguration of a 25-tonne statue of Adi Shankaracharya.
Read also: Dalit face, unbeaten since becoming Uttarakhand: What did BJP lose to Congress in Yashpal Arya?
‘Congress factionalism is not a matter of concern’
In response to a question on how the Congress was expected to return to power in the state? infighting In the state unit, Rawat said he was not worried about division in the party, as the Congress would unite if required.
Rawat said that it is true that there are differences among the leaders of the Congress party, but today the story for us is not about the Congress, but of the state of Uttarakhand and who has the solution to its problems. If there are differences in Congress, we also have quite capable leaders to lead the state. I am not worried about the internal affairs of the party, because every Congress leader will stand united during the elections with the goal of winning.
He claimed many Congress leaders who left the party Joined the BJP before the 2017 assembly elections and with great expectations, now wants to make a comeback.
‘Amarinder a BJP agent, Channi-Sidhu should go together’
Explaining the reason behind the “removal” of the former Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh With Punjab assembly elections due next year, Rawat alleged that he was acting as an agent of the “BJP-Akali Dal”, not as the chief minister of the Congress.
“The captain was told several times that he should act as the chief minister of Congress and not as an agent of BJP and Akali Dal. He was a chief minister who did not visit the state secretariat for four years and tried to placate the Congress in Punjab. This has become clear from the recent developments, as he is very keen to become the BJP man in Punjab,” alleged Rawat.
“The question is not about timing, but about decision, and this was the right step taken by the AICC leadership.”
Rawat also alleged that Amarinder Singh was trying to eliminate the Congress cadre from Punjab.
He said that Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is a popular leader who can influence the public. Rawat also expressed confidence that Sidhu, along with the new Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, can ensure the victory of the Congress in 2022. the axe And find ways to work together,” Rawat said.
(Edited by Polomi Banerjee)
Read also: The BJP may sell 40-50% of its 57 Uttarakhand MLAs, which are seen as an ‘unsafe electoral bet’.
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