Review of works in 57 BJP segments triggers row

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 5

A major row has erupted between the opposition Congress and Chief Minister TS Rawat on his decision to review the development works in 57 Assembly segments in Uttarakhand which are in the BJP’s kitty, thereby ignoring the 13 Assembly segments that are with the Congress (11) and independent (2) MLAs.

The review will take place between July 7 and July 26 through video conferencing which would be attended by all the senior and junior officials and MLAs.

Congress MLA from Kedarnath Manoj Rawat has termed it as a slight to the Opposition. “The Chief Minister’s decision is biased and speaks volumes about this government’s proclivity to ignore the Opposition,” said Rawat.

He said it was a golden opportunity for the Chief Minister to allay the misgivings of the opposition MLAs. “In the Vidhan Sabha, soon after his elevation as Chief Minister, he had stated that he would treat all the MLAs equally but it seems he has forgotten his speech,” said Rawat.

When the Congress government was in power both under the former chief ministers Vijay Bahuguna and Harish Rawat similar accusations were levelled by the BJP, which was then in the Opposition.

Now, the tables have been turned and now it is the Congress party and its MLAs who are at the receiving end of the Chief Minister’s desire to inspect development works in constituencies won by BJP MLAs.

However, BJP chief Ajay Bhatt rubbished these allegations instead urged the Congress MLAs to wait as their turn too would come.