Seeing the popularity of nine turncoat MlAs, who had deserted the Congress when the Opposition demanded division of the vote on the Appropriation Bill in the Vidhan Sabha on March 18, in the State and their closeness with the BJP High Command, the State BJP leaders have started targetting them.
In this regard, BJP leader Raghunath Singh Negi openly made allegation against the ex-cabinet miniter and one of the nine turncoat MlAs Harak Singh Rawat here in Dehradun on Sunday. Political analysts opine that the BJP might be executing a political stunt to check status of Harak in BJP or Harish Rawat might have made deal with state BJP leaders to regain his political career. As is known, Harak Singh Rawat had released the sting CD to media wherein the then sitting CM was shown stating that he would “keep his eyes shut if his minister siphons off 25-30 from his ministry”.
As Negi is considered a close confidant of Haridwar MP and former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, the way he leveled the allegations at Harak has sparked speculation on whether this amounts to blowing the bugle blown against the nine dissidents by the state BJP.
The timing of this allegation has also made some question as to whether it is a genuine step against land grab or a politically motivated move against Harak.
It would be pertinent to mention here that Harak had led dissidence against former chief minister Harish Rawat and had come closer to BJP. It was being presumed that BJP had taken all nine dissidents to Gurgaon and Jaipur as well. Now BJP leaders have openly attacked Harak accusing him of encroaching on 107 bigha land using dubious means.
Political analysts said that this disclosure may have been made because Harak was getting closer to BJP high command considering which the state BJP leaders have started placing hurdle between Rawat and party.
It will be recalled that Negi was appointed deputy chairman of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and is known to be close with one of the three ex-Chief Ministers from the BJP. In this scenario BJP state leaders believe that Rawat may supersede them in future so they have started making their moves to curtail his political moves.
They believe that with this strategy they would be able to put Harak on back foot and party high command, which has been giving weightage to him, will review their stance. Political analysts also State that former CM Rawat might also have been involved in this strategy because he has openly accepted that it was his fault that he overlooked Harak's “greediness” despite being Chief Minister of State.