According to sources, Rawat is in touch with the Congress and talks are on to get him to join the party along with two other BJP MLAs
Dehradun: Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat was on Sunday expelled from the state cabinet and expelled from the primary membership of the BJP for six years. Harak Singh Rawat and his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain are likely to join the Congress on Monday. This comes ahead of the assembly polls in Uttarakhand scheduled for next month.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also wrote to the governor about the removal of Rawat from the cabinet, sources said.
Rawat has been dismissed from the cabinet by Chief Minister Dhami and also expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years, state BJP spokesman Shadab Shams said.
Welcoming the decision, Shams said this gives a strong message that the BJP is a party that does not tolerate indiscipline and does not bow to pressure of any kind.
Rawat, who represents the Kotdwar seat in the state assembly, is said to have been seeking a ticket for his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain from the Lansdowne constituency and a change of seat for himself.
The sources in the BJP also said that for some time now, there have been reports of Rawat being unhappy with the BJP leadership.
He has also been in touch with the Congress to return to that party, they said, adding that among other reasons, the BJP expelled him for anti-party activities.
“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 said.
According to sources, Rawat is in touch with the Congress and talks are on to get him to join the party along with two other BJP MLAs.
Rawat was in the news recently when he threatened to resign from the state cabinet insisting on his demand for a medical college in Haridwar.
Uttarakhand is set to go to the polls in a single phase on February 14.
