Uttarakhand MLA Harak Singh Rawat expelled from BJP ahead of assembly polls, likely to join Congress

Just a few short weeks ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly elections 2022, State cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat has been expelled from BJP and the state cabinet, as informed by the Chief Minister’s Office of the state on Sunday.

According to the CMO, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expelled Harak Singh Rawat from the state cabinet, where he held the post of the state forest minister. He has also been expelled from BJP for a period of six years, according to reports.

As per ANI reports, Rawat was expelled from the Uttarakhand cabinet and the BJP because of “anti-party activities”. The former state cabinet minister has already left for Delhi along with his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain, as per media reports.

A close aid to the cabinet minister told ANI, “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.” It is also likely that Rawat and his daughter-in-law will join Congress ahead of the Uttarakhand elections in 2022.

Harak Singh Rawat recently expressed his resentment towards the BJP publicly, stating that the party was only ready to give a ticket to one member of his family. He had further skipped the party meeting in Dehradun to select candidates on Saturday.

Rawat had also met with a senior Congress leader on Sunday, indicating that he would be joining the party, after which BJP took action against the state cabinet minister. He is reportedly in touch with Congress, and talks are being conducted to get him in, along with two other BJP MLAs.

The Uttarakhand assembly elections 2022 are scheduled to commence from February 14, and the votes will be counted on March 10, after which the result will be declared. During the last assembly polls, BJP won with a sweeping majority, securing 57 out of the 70 seats in the state.