Harak Singh Rawat, sacked from the Uttarakhand Bharatiya Janata Party fold though he was a minister, on Tuesday called former state chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat his “elder brother”, a statement that gives several hints at the possible switchover ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
“He (Congress leader Harish Rawat) is my elder brother. I can apologise to him a hundred times. I want development of Uttarakhand. I talked to them (Congress) this morning. They will let me know their decision soon and I will make my decisions based on that,” Harak Singh Rawat said.
Harish Rawat had on Monday said that Harak Singh had not joined the Congress yet.
“I don’t want to make any statement on this. Expelled Uttarakhand BJP Minister Harak Singh has not joined the Congress party yet. Party will take a decision after considering several angles,” the former CM said.
Harak Singh was expelled from the BJP for saying that Congress will form the government in Uttarakhand after the polls in February.
“Congress Party will form government in Uttarakhand. I will work for the Congress party. BJP will never understand the problems of the common man. I know that party very well. I understand their approach. I will continue to work for the welfare of people,” he had said on Monday.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had expelled Harak Singh Rawat from the Cabinet on Sunday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Dhami were present during the BJP Uttarakhand core group meeting in Delhi on Sunday along with BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, state party president Madan Kaushik, state election in-charge Pralhad Joshi, and election co-in charge RP Singh.
