Cong, BJP duel as Rawat meets officials

SMA Kazmi

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 21

After an intense electoral battle between the ruling Congress and the BJP that culminated on February 15, the war of words continues between the two in the state.

The latest issue on which both parties are taking potshots at each other is the attendance of Chief Minister Harish Rawat at his office and holding meeting with officials. Uttarakhand BJP chief Ajay Bhatt has termed it unprecedented and took exception to the Chief Minister still holding meetings and clearing files before the electoral verdict.

After the Assembly elections, it was the second time on Monday evening that Rawat went to the Secretariat to hold a meeting with senior officials to review the progress of the Centrally-sponsored schemes. He told the officials to submit the utilisation certificate to get the pending money from the Centre for such schemes.

Uttarakhand BJP president Ajay Bhatt said the eagerness of the Chief Minister to hold meeting and clear files before the electoral verdict smelt fishy. He even indicated that a complaint could be made by the party to the Election Commission.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Harish Rawat said the BJP had been unnecessarily trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. He said if the BJP could make the Election Commission announce that he was no longer a Chief Minister, he would immediately cease working.

He clarified that he held a routine meeting which was on the issue of reviewing the Centrally-sponsored schemes and to get pending money. He further said that since the financial year was coming to a close, there was an immediate need to review the schemes and in no way the state should suffer.

Rawat’s media adviser Surendra Agarwal, in a statement, said the BJP was “ignorant” of the law. “They should consult their former Chief Ministers before making such statements. The BJP has failed to protect the interests of Uttarakhand but cannot stop Harish Rawat from doing so,” he added.