Champion’s supporters bear brunt of rebellion

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 24

Rebel Khanpur legislator Kunwar Pranav Champion, who recently joined the BJP along with eight other dissident Congress legislators, is now on the radar of Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Since assuming Chief Ministership in early 2014, Rawat had accorded a ranked minister status to Kunwar Pranav in the capacity of Uttarakhand Mining Corporation chairperson.

Notably, former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had removed Kunwar Pranav from the post of chairperson of the Forest Development Corporation in 2013. Besides, more than six supporters of Kunwar Pranav were given either red beacons or plum posts in various corporations and party organisation set up.

But now, one by one, all of them are being removed from their posts, to cut the wings of the rebel legislator.

Last week, Cooperative Dairy Union chairperson Dr Ranveer Singh was sacked from his post. He is regarded a close aide of Pranav and was enjoying his second term as chairperson.

Rawat supporter Kehar Singh has been appointed chairperson of the Union and Rekha Rana and Krishan Pal have been nominated as members of the union.

A welcome function was organised by Landaura unit of Congress for the newly appointed office-bearers, in which Kehar Singh said his focus would be to increase milk production which had plummeted in the past two years.

Nominated director of Lakshar Sugarcane Committee Dr Sukhpal Singh, also a close aide of the rebel Khanpur legislator, has been removed.

The Agriculture Department has also sought an explanation from Lakshar Agricultural Production Committee nominated chairperson Chaudhary Bheem Singh into the various irregularities in the committee during his tenure. The explanation is being envisioned as an indication for Singh to resign from the post or he would have to face the axe like Dr Ranveer and Dr Sukhpal.

Purushottam Sharma, former Haridwar city president and officer on Special Duty, Ardh Kumbh, to Chief Minister Harish Rawat, when asked about the removal of Khanpur legislator’s supporters from their posts, said as mass corruption was being reported in these committees and cooperative unions, the decision to remove them had been taken by the state government.

“Many a posts were sought on pressure tactics by rebel legislators for the past two to three years. But still, honesty and responsible working are the two criteria being measured and people who don’t fall in this bracket will have to go,” Sahrma said.

Meanwhile, during a briefing at the BJP office, Kunwar Pranav lashed out at the Congress Government for targeting his supporters by either removing them or pressurising them to give resignations.

“The Congress government is using pressure tactics to harass my supporters. But it won’t affect me as those being removed are my loyal supporters and will join the BJP. As far as irregularities and corruption is concerned, why were they not removed prior to March 26, when we raised voices against the tyrant rule of Harish Rawat,” Kunwar Pranav asked.