Uttarakhand Assembly elections: I will work for Congress, says expelled BJP Minister Harak Singh Rawat

New Delhi: A day after Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat was dismissed from the state cabinet and expelled from the primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for six years, he has said that he will work for the Congress party. 

Reacting to the sudden expulsion, Rawat, who represents the Kotdwar seat in the state assembly, on Monday (January 17, 2022) said that the BJP didn't talk to him even once before taking 'such a big decision'. 

"Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called me to meet in Delhi, due to traffic there was a bit of delay. I wanted to meet him and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but as soon as I reached Delhi, I saw on social media that they (BJP) have expelled me," Rawat told ANI.

Rawat also broke down while speaking about his expulsion from the Uttarakhand BJP Cabinet. 

#WATCH | Former Uttarakhand BJP Minister Harak Singh Rawat breaks down after speaking about his expulsion from the Uttarakhand BJP Cabinet https://t.co/7xjIENtki6 pic.twitter.com/L8rEADPsBs

— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2022

"If I hadn't left Congress to join BJP, I would have resigned from BJP four years ago. I don't have much interest in being a minister, I just wanted to work," Rawat said.

He added that will work for Congress and that the party will form the government in Uttarakhand.

Harak Singh Rawat was putting pressure on BJP

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that Rawat was putting pressure on the party (seeking party tickets) for his family members. 

"But we have a different policy, only one member of a family will be given a party ticket for elections," he said while talking to reporters.

#WATCH | "Uttarakhand BJP Minister Harak Singh Rawat was putting pressure on the party (seeking party tickets) for his family members but we have a different policy, only one member of a family will be given a party ticket for elections," says Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami pic.twitter.com/AyVpAcSsob — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2022

Rawat was 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 development comes ahead of the elections in Uttarakhand that are scheduled to be held in single-phase on February 14. 

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