News Analysis India

Tag: Harak Singh Rawat

  • Uttarakhand polls: Congress releases first list of 53 candidates, Harak Singh Rawat misses the cut

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Indian National Congress on Saturday late night announced the first list of candidates for 53 seats in Uttarakhand for upcoming assembly polls on February 14.

    The suspense remains on the seats of former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat.

    The party has not denied ticket to any of its sitting MLAs. 

    The Congress had 11 MLAs of which Rajkumar from Purola assembly constituency joined the Bhartiya Janta Party last year in September while Congress MLA from Haldwani and leader of opposition in the state legislative assembly Dr Indira Hridayesh died in June 2021. 

    Uttarakhand legislative assembly died in June last year limiting the numbers of Congress MLAs to nine.

    The nine incumbent MLAs of the party who have been trusted again to contest the elections from their respective constituencies include the names of Manoj Rawat from Kedarnath, Pritam Singh from Chakrata, Mamta Rakesh from Bhagwanpur, Qazi Muhammad Nizamuddin from Manglaur, Mohammad Furqan Ahmed from Piran Kaliyar, Harish Singh Dhami from Dharchula, Karan Singh Mahra from Ranikhet, Govind Singh Kunjwal from Jageshwar and Adesh Singh Chauhan from Jaspur. 

    In the first list of 53, the party has given tickets to only three women- Godawari Thapli from Mussoorie seat, Mamta Rakesh from Bhagwanpur and Meena Sharma from Rudrapur. 

    Two Muslim candidates, both sitting MLAs from Haridwar district have also been fielded by the party.

    Balancing the caste equation the party has given tickets to 20 Thakur candidates who constitute about 35% of the vote share in the state. 

    Bhuwan Chandra Kapri has been chosen to challenge Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami from his constituency Khatima.

    The list includes the names of state party president Ganesh Godiyal who is fielded from Srinagar Assembly constituency, former speaker of the state assembly Govind Singh Kunjwal from Jageshwar seat, former state president of the party and at present holding the position of leader of opposition in party Pritam Singh from Chakrata seat among others.

    The grand old party and also given ticket to Yashpal Arya and his son who left the BJP to join the Congress last year.

    Yashpal Arya has been fielded from Bajpur constituency while his son has been entrusted by the party on Nainital seat. 

    Sumit Hridayesh, a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and son of Indira Hridayesh, late leader of opposition has been fielded from Haldwani state assembly constituency by the party. 

    Party sources told that the central leadership and formed a two-member committee including Mukul Wasnik, general secretary of the AICC to finalize names on rest of the 17 seats in next two-three days. 

    Nominations for the 70 seats of the state have started on January 21, 2022. 

    Earlier on January 20, the BJP announced first list of its candidates on 59 seats of Uttarakhand for upcoming elections of 70-member legislative assembly on February 14 denying tickets to 10 sitting MLAs including former CM’s daughter. 

    Total 10 sitting MLAs have been denied tickets including daughter of former Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and sitting MLA from Yamkeshwar, Ritu Bhushan Khanduri and Raghunath Chauhan, sitting MLA from Almora and deputy speaker of the state assembly. 

    The list has new names including famous Bollywood singer Jubin Nautiyal’s father Ramsharan Nautiyal from Chakrata assembly seat and wife of Khanpur BJP MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion’s wife Kuwarani Devyani.

    Recent defections give Congress major advantage?

    The reinduction of Harak Singh Rawat and Yashpal Arya into the Congress is being seen as a major gain for the party ahead of the February 14 assembly polls in Uttarakhand.

    There was a dearth of big faces in the Congress after the exit of prominent leaders from the party following a revolt against the Harish Rawat government in 2016.

    While Harak Singh Rawat, a prominent leader from the Garhwal rejoined the party on Friday, Arya, a major SC leader from Kumaon division returned to the party along with his MLA son Sanjeev in October last year.

    Both Rawat and Arya are experienced leaders whose re-entry into the Congress comes as a major boost for the party ahead of the comping assembly polls.

    Rawat has never lost in any of the four assembly polls held in Uttarakhand since its creation in 2000 although he contested from four different seats.

    He has also held ministerial positions in both undivided Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

    Yashpal Arya who held key positions like that of the state assembly speaker, Pradesh Congress president and a minister under the chief ministership of both Vijay Bahuguna and Harish Rawat is capable of playing a decisive role for the party on 12 SC seats in the state as he is seen as the tallest Dalit leader in the state.

    The SC seats where Yashpal Arya’s presence can shore up the Congress’ chances are Purola, Tharali, Ghansali, Rajpur Road, Jwalapur, Bhagwanpur, Pauri, Gangolihat, Bageshwar, Someshwar, Nainital and Bajpur.

    Arya had won from Bajpur in 2017 on a BJP ticket with more than 54,000 votes.

    With their return to the party, it does not look like an entirely depleted side in the upcoming polls as it did in 2017 with most of its big leaders adorning the ranks of BJP at that time, political observers here feel.

    “Both leaders are seasoned politicians with decades of experience. Their reinduction into the party will definitely brighten its prospects further,” Pradesh Congress general secretary Mathura Dutt Joshi said.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Uttarakhand: CM Dhami dismisses Harak Rawat from Cabinet, BJP also suspends latter for six years

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Harak Singh Rawat was dismissed from the state cabinet by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday late night.

    Rawat was also suspended from the Bhartiya Janta Party for six years.

    “Harak Singh Rawat has been dismissed from the state cabinet and suspended from the BJP too for his constant pressure politics. Party and the CM had it enough, said a BJP leader confirming his dismissal. 

    However, formal confirmation in writing was yet to come till the time of writing this report. 

    Sources said that he along with his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain might join Congress party on Monday. 

    Rumors started on Saturday after he did not attend the core group meeting of the party for ticket distribution on Saturday.

    Sources said that MLA from Kotdwar, he had been demanding ticket for himself from Kedarnath and for his daughter-in-law from Lansdowne state assembly seat. 

    Following this the BJP MLA from Lansdowne and prospective candidates from Kedarnath warned the party to leave and contest from another party or independently. 

    Dilip Singh Rawat, BJP MLA from Lansdowne seat has expressed his displeasure and also took a dig on Rawat.

    Though the MLA has reiterated that he will not leave the BJP, targeting the state cabinet minister who was one of the nine rebels to join the BJP in 2016 after leaving the Indian National Congress Dilip Singh Rawat further added, “I don’t have options like others. In my life it’s only one seat, one party and one wife. Others may have options I don’t.”

    Shailarani Rawat, former MLA from Kedarnath and a probable BJP candidate from the seat have also told the party that she will consider other options if Harak Singh Rawat is fielded from the shrine seat. 

    At present, Manoj Rawat from the Indian National Congress is MLA from Kedarnath. He is one those who helped the party secure 11 seats in the 70-member state assembly in 2017 assembly elections.

    Last month, the cabinet minister who left the cabinet meeting after banging his fist on the table while the state cabinet was on, had said that he will resign from the post. Rawat was also rumored to join the Congress. 

    The 24-hour political drama proved that the BJP is careful and cannot afford any defections at this crucial juncture when state assembly elections are due in less than 60-days.

    Rawat had said he was going to resign. The cabinet minister had left the meeting over the issue of fund allocations for medical college in his constituency Kotdwar in Pauri district.

    Later, the government had a located Rs 25 Crore for the medical college in Kotdwar next day. 

    Interestingly, Harak Singh Rawat led rebellion against the then Harish Rawat government in year 2016 when nine rebel MLAs including Harak Singh Rawat left the Congress and joined the BJP. Kau was also among the rebels.

    Later, all nine contested on BJP ticket winning the 2017 assembly elections. Many of them including Rawat were given cabinet berth in the BJP government.

    Official release by the state unit Bhartiya Janta Party released at 11.11pm stayed that Harak Singh Rawat was dismissed from cabinet.  Suspension from the party due to ‘indiscipline’, says the official release. 

    Rawat will join Congress tomorrow at around 11am. Candidates list of Congress now delayed till Tuesday, said sources. 

  • Harak Rawat’s grievance a family matter: Pushkar Dhami on rebel BJP leader

    By PTI

    DEHDRADUN: Seeking to scotch speculation over likely resignation by his Cabinet colleague Harak Singh Rawat, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said it was a family matter and would be resolved soon.

    “It is a family matter. We will sit together and resolve it,” he said when asked by reporters about Rawat’s unhappiness.

    “It is natural to think of the development of one’s constituency. We have commitments to our people. Whatever it is it will be thought over seriously and resolved,” Dhami said.

    After a night of suspense over whether Rawat will resign, BJP MLA Umesh Sharma Kau, who had been assigned the task of dissuading him from resigning, on Saturday said the Cabinet minister’s grievance has been addressed and “no one is going anywhere”.

    He said the issue has been settled with the intervention of the central leadership and Chief Minister Dhami.

    Rawat’s proposal for a medical college in his constituency Kotdwar has been accepted and he has also been assured that the budget for the project will be released soon, Kau said.

    When asked if Rawat had agreed not to resign, the MLA from Raipur said “no one was going anywhere.”

    “We all will work as true soldiers of the BJP,” Kau said.

    Pradesh BJP president Madan Kaushik also refuted the speculation saying “all is well and no one has resigned”.

    Rawat had left a Cabinet meeting in a huff late on Friday night triggering speculation that he might resign from the Dhami Cabinet.

    Sources said Rawat left the meeting as he was angry that a proposal for a medical college in his assembly constituency Kotdwar was not being cleared by the Cabinet.

    Pradesh BJP president Madan Kaushik too had denied that Rawat has resigned.

    There was also talks about Kau’s resignation.

    The MLA’s son Gaurav Sharma, however, denied it saying they were surprised when the news was flashed by some TV channels on Friday night.

    Interestingly, Kau received a call from Delhi soon after the speculations began and he went to meet Rawat apparently to dissuade him from resigning.

    Both Rawat and Kau were among ten MLAs who had rebelled against Harish Rawat in 2016 and crossed over to the BJP.

    Rawat is the forest minister in Dhami’s Cabinet.

  • Uttarakhand: Cabinet minister resigns, may join Congress, BJP denies

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: After state cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat announced his resignation along with another MLA on Friday late evening, the state Bhartiya Janta Party president denied this saying the issues will be sorted soon. 

    “For me the position of cabinet minister is nothing in comparison to the service for people. My demand for medical college in Kotdwar has been ignored for long now,” said Harak Singh Rawat confirming his resignation. 

    Though no resignation letter was received by the Governor of Uttarakhand till the time of writing this report. 

    Sources from the Congress claimed that he was in Delhi yesterday and might join the Congress on Saturday in Haridwar in presence of former CHief Minister Harish Rawat or even later.

    However, state BJP president has denied any such thing. “If there is any issue, it will be resolved soon. No one is resigning from the party or cabinet post,” said Madan Kaushik, state BJP president who was in Gopeshwar and will be teaching Dehradun on Saturday morning.

    The state forest minister reportedly resignef in anger while the cabinet was on meeting in the state secretariat.

    Another BJP MLA Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’ was also rumored to resign from the party which the MLA himself denied saying that he is the ‘Soldier’ of the BJP.

    Interestingly, Harak Singh Rawat led rebellion against the then Harish Rawat government in year 2016 when nine rebel MLAs including Harak Singh Rawat left the Congress and joined the BJP. Kau was also among the rebels. 

    Later, all nine contested on BJP ticket winning the 2017 assembly elections. Many of them including Rawat were given cabinet berth in the BJP government

    Earlier this month, with talks of Harak Singh Rawat meeting Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, rumors of four other rebel leaders who left Congress to join Bhartiya Janta Party in year 2016 have been abuzz in power corridors of the hill state. 

    However, political analysts say the minister in question is know for playing ‘pressure politics’. 

    In October this year, former state cabinet minister Yashpal Arya who was cabinet minister in the incumbent BJP government joined Congress with his son Sanjiv Arya who won Nainital assembly seat in 2017 state assembly elections.

    Arya had left Congress in January 2017 to join the BJP. He won the 2017 state assembly elections from Bajpur seat of Udham Singh Nagar district while his son won the elections to become MLA from Nainital assembly seat of Nainital district. 

    The state BJP has been in alert mode since then. The BJP and the Congress remain at their competitive best to snatch each other’s leaders as the state assembly elections approach.

    In an interview with TNIE, Harish Rawat when asked about allowing the rebels join the Congress back had said that the rebels must accept their ‘Crime Against Democracy’. 

    “Look, they all have committed crime against the democracy. And in democracy if anyone accepts their mistake their apology must be accepted. But they just admit the crime against democracy which they committed. Also, we know there is a ruckus in the BJP and they also realize now that they are stuck in the wrong party,” the former CM had said. 

    Later, Harak Singh Rawat had said that he and Harish Rawat are two brothers. The former went even ahead stating that his place is always at his (Harish Rawat) feet as a younger brother.

  • Uttarakhand: 60 former Congress rebels bargain with BJP amid talks of ‘ghar-wapsi’

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Amid talks of at least 60 former Congress leaders returning to the grand old party, Uttarakhand cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat and BJP MLA Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’ met the saffron party’s chief, JP Nadda, on Saturday in Delhi.

    Both leaders were among the nine rebel Congress MLAs and ministers who had jumped to the BJP in 2016.  Interestingly, both the leaders were in the same flight with the leader of opposition, Pritam Singh, who was also travelling to Delhi to attend a meeting of the Congress Working Committee. “There are speculations of big responsibility to Harak Singh Rawat and perks to Kau as well as other rebels. The party does not want another embarrassment,” said a party insider from Uttarakhand BJP.

    Anil Baluni, Rajya Sabha MP and national chief spokesperson of the BJP, was also present in the meeting. This comes after Yashpal Arya rejoined the Congress with his son Sanjiv in the last week. Arya had left the Congress for the BJP in January 2017. The duo won the elections in 2017 and the Yashpal was inducted as cabinet minister in the BJP government.

    Dehradun-based political analyst Jay Singh Rawat said: “With Yashpal Arya and his son Sanjiv having returned to the Congress, the BJP is on alert mode. The ‘rebels’ see this as a perfect opportunity to negotiate. Harak Singh Rawat is the one who is known for voicing his dissent frequently. He and others are trying to squeeze the BJP as much as they can.”

    Meanwhile, Uttarakhand unit of the Congress plans to re-admit at least 60 leaders who had either left the party or were expelled for various reasons. The party has formed a committee to oversee the  ghar wapsi of those who were either expelled or voluntarily left the party in last five-six years.

    The names of these leaders or members, numbering more than 100, are likely to be announced around October 20. 

  • Harak Singh Rawat’s meeting with Uttarakhand BJP chief sets party abuzz 

    Express News Service

    DRHRADUN: The political landscape in Uttarakhand seems to be in a flux. A day after state cabinet minister Yashpal Arya and his MLA son Sanjiv Arya re-joined the Congress, Harak Singh Rawat, also a senior minister, announced that he would not contest the 2022 assembly polls. 

    The announcement came following Rawat’s hour-long closed door meeting with BJP state president Madan Kaushik. Sources, however, said say Rawat wanted ticket for his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gosain and discussed this with Kaushik.

    “This is pressure politics by Rawat. If the BJP does not give in to his demand, he can re-join the Congress,” said a BJP insider who is privy to the developments. Many in the party doubt that he will stay true to his words about not contesting. “Situation is developing and we will have to wait and watch,” said another leader.

    Rawat was among the nine Congress rebels who had join ed the BJP in May 2016. However, he has been voicing his dissent from time to time.  With the Aryas returning to the grand old party, the BJP is rattled that this might open the floodgates for the other rebels to rush back to the Congress. In fact, one more BJP MLA was scheduled to join the Congress with the Aryas and, but stopped after Anil Baluni, national chief spokesperson of the BJP, reportedly intervened. 

    Both BJP and Congress leaders, meanwhile, claimed that people from the other side were in their contact with them. “This is just a trailer; the film is yet to follow. Many BJP MLAs are in contact with us and soon they will join us,” Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal said. Manvir Singh, media-in-charge, BJP, too, claimed that “many from the Congress are talking to us and will join the party in the coming days”.

  • I saved Trivendra Singh Rawat from jail: Uttarakhand minister

    By Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: After state cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat said that he saved ousted Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat from being sent to prison by the then CM Harish Rawat in 2014, a political storm started raging in Uttarakhand with bigwigs jumping into blame game. 

    Responding to the statement, Harish Rawat said he never intended to do so and there was no evidence against Trivendra Singh Rawat. 

    “I have never done any such thing. I studied the file and found that the was not enough evidence to sent him to prison. I cannot act out and sent someone to prison just out of rivalry. Both of them (Harak Singh Rasta and Trivendra Singh Rawat) should not drag me in their cross firings,” said the corner and CM of Uttarakhand and general secretary of Indian National Congress. 

    The case dates back to year 2010 with allegations that as the state agriculture minister in 2010, Trivendra Singh Rawat had passed orders for purchase of 14,900 quintal of dhaincha (green manure) seeds when the requirement was only for 9,680 quintal. 

    Tripathi Commission which was formed to probe the case submitted its report in year 2014. 

    A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by a petitioner JP Dabral in year 2017 after TSR became the CM of Uttarakhand alleging that the seeds used for organic farming as fertilizers were purchased after paying 60% more than market rate.

    The petition also alleged that, scheming through tenders these seeds were purchased for Rs 3839 per quintal whereas in the Haridwar Mandi Samiti and in the open market the same were available for Rs 1538 per quintal at that time. The seeds were purchased from an enterprise in Nainital though available in adequate quantities with State and Central agencies.

    Harak Singh Rawat said that he wrote a two-page note defending TSR and even showed the files to Bhagat Singh Koshyari, now the governor of Maharashtra and Ajay Bhatt who was the state president of the BJP at that time. 

    Trivendra Singh Rawat, reacting to the queries related to the matter satirically said, “Everyone knows what he thinks of me and how much he cares for me. Believe whatever he has to say. The time will reveal everything.”

    “Harak Singh Rawat has a long-nurtured ambition of becoming the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. In 2016 he left Congress with a hope to become the CM but that did not happen. With upcoming elections he might be thinking that something in the BJP or elsewhere can work out. It’s like he is taking his chances towards the end of his career, hence such revelations/statements, ” said Jay Singh Rawat, a political analyst from Dehradun. 

  • Electricity will be given free if BJP retains Uttarakhand: Harak Singh Rawat

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat on Monday announced that electricity will be free for the people of the state if the BJP retains power next year.“In the present situation, no government will be able to provide 300 units of free electricity to the people of Uttarakhand. But we promise that in next three-four years, we can provide free electricity to farmers as well as other people of Uttarakhand,” said the power minister. 

    The announcement is seen as a step to counter AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s announcement to provide 300 units of free electricity if the Aam Aadmi Party forms the government in the state. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the government is already providing 24×7 power at “a very low cost.”

    Earlier, on Sunday Kejriwal in his press conference in Dehradun had promised to provide free electricity to the farmers of Uttarakhand. “Today our farmers are the poorest. If we help our farmers, they  will have spare money for children and family. We have seen corruption in power bills. Pending dues, bills of electricity will be waived,”he had said. The promise of free electricity will cost around Rs 1,200 crore which can be easily done from the Rs 50,000-crore state budget, he had said.

    The AAP has already announced to contest all 70 seats in Uttarakhand.The state election will be a keenly watched affair as Tirath Singh Rawat recently resigned as the chief minister less than four months after taking over in the state. Pushkar Singh Dhami then stepped in to fill the chair.

  • Uttarakhand: Domestic consumers to get 100 units free electricity every month

    By ANI
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Power Minister Harak Singh Rawat on Wednesday announced that 100 units of electricity will be provided free every month to domestic consumers.

    In a meeting with departmental officials, Rawat said, “There are about 13 lakh consumers in state who come under the purview of spending 100 to 200 units of electricity. Those who use 100 units per month will be given electricity free of cost. Those using 101 to 200 units per month will get 50 per cent discount.”

    The State Power Minister said that this would benefit the consumers in the remote areas of the state.

    “Although the electricity bill in Uttarakhand comes for two months, the benefit of this scheme will be given on the basis of units per month. That is, if someone gets a bill of 200 units in 2 months, then he will not have to pay any money,” he said.

    The minister further said that the consumers related to dairy, horticulture and agriculture sectors of the state, which till now used to come under the commercial category, will now be brought into the domestic category of electricity consumers.

    Talking to ANI, he said that instructions have been given to the officials to make the proposal for this announcement at the earliest, post which it will be placed in the cabinet.

  • Uttarakhand CM Tirath Rawat distributes portfolios among his ministers

    By PTI
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat on Tuesday distributed portfolios among his cabinet colleagues while keeping 14 departments, including Finance and Home, with himself.

    Satpal Maharaj, Harak Singh Rawat, Yashpal Arya, Arvind Pandey and Subodh Uniyal have retained their departments.

    The chief minister has kept 14 departments, including Finance, Home, Revenue, Excise, Health, Civil Aviation and Public Works, with himself.

    Banshidhar Bhagat has been given important portfolios like Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Development and Information and Technology.

    Ganesh Joshi has been given the responsibility of Sainik Welfare, Industrial Development, Small and Medium Industries Departments.

    Dr Dhan Singh Rawat has been given the responsibility of the Disaster Management and Rehabilitation along with Cooperation and Higher Education.

    Swami Yatishwaranand will look after the sugarcane and sugar industry.