Since joining the BJP after spending decades in the Congress, Satpal Maharaj is not leaving a single opportunity to lambast the Congress and praise the BJP. Visiting Joshimath for the time since joining the BJP, to campaign for the party candidate from Garhwal and former chief minister Maj Gen (retd) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, Maharaj said that the UPA Government is anti-development.
Addressing a public gathering at the taxi stand here, Maharaj took a jibe at chief minister Harish Rawat accusing him of attempting to first destabilize the State government headed by ND Tiwari and then destabilised the State government headed by Vijay Bahuguna but is now talking of forming a stable government after becoming the chief minister. Targeting State minister and Congress candidate from Garhwal constituency, Harak Singh Rawat, Maharaj said, “The wives and daughters now need to be careful.” Targeting the Congress led State government, the BJP leader said that the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line project is in limbo because the State government had not transferred land to the Railways. After formation of the government headed by Narendra Modi at the centre, work on this rail project will be taken up on priority basis, he said.
Speaking about the border areas, he said that the Indian borders are not secure due to factors like the continued migration of the people from such areas due to absence of developmental works. Regarding the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, Maharaj said that the State government is going to start this pilgrimage with incomplete preparations. The condition of the national highway is still critical and the system for providing various facilities to pilgrims has not been rebuilt properly by the State which is akin to defrauding the pilgrims, he said.