The Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee organised a programme at the Congress Bhawan here on Saturday to felicitate the State Cabinet Ministers and MlAs who had retained their loyalty to the Congress-led State Government.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Chief Minister Harish Rawat expressed gratitude to all the MlAs especially those of coalition partner Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) for helping towards reinstatement of a democratic Government in Uttarakhand.
The CM also expressed gratitude towards the Indian judiciary, stating that the decisions of the High Court and Supreme Court have protected the constitution and democracy of the nation. At the same time, the faith of general public in the justice system, he added.
Rawat said, “Our struggle was not just for saving our government but was a struggle to protect the Indian constitution, democratic values and secular thought.” The CM also said that reinstatement of the democratically elected Government in Uttarakhand was a genuine homage in the 125 anniversary year of BR Ambedkar.
Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay also expressed his views on the occasion which also saw dissident BJP MlA Bhim lal Arya commending the CM for the State Government’s efforts towards achieving the desired level of development while also lambasting the BJP.
Senior Cabinet Minister Indira Hridayesh, MlAs Mamta Rakesh, lalit Pharswan, Sunder lal Mandrawal, Rajendra Singh Bhandari and Hemesh Kharkwal were also among those present on the occasion which was attended by various party leaders and cadre.