DEHRADUN: With both Punjab and Uttarakhand going to polls early next year, former CM Harish Rawat, who is the Congress party’s state in-charge for Punjab, has claimed that he would request the party leadership to relieve him of his duties in Punjab “as I need to focus completely on Uttarakhand for the next few months.” Interestingly, Rawat met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday morning, and claimed that “some key issues related to Uttarakhand were discussed.”
Rawat has played an active role in handling the political situation in Punjab in the past few months. He is also the key campaigner for the party in Uttarakhand besides being the Congress campaign committee in-charge for the Himalayan state.
“Punjab is my karmbhoomi and Uttarakhand is my janmbhoomi. I would like to thank the people and party members of Punjab for their support and focus on Uttarakhand for the next few months,” the former CM said.
Elaborating further on why he wanted to be relieved of his Punjab charge, Rawat said, ‘I feel that I am not being able to give proper time to both states. The torrential rains in the past few days for instance brought havoc to Uttarakhand but I was unable to go to many places to console people and offer my assistance.”
On the issue of ex-Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh announcing a new party, Rawat said, “If he wants to eat crow and help the BJP, he can. However, the move has definitely raised a question mark over his secular credentials.”
