‘Neglected’ Maharaj refuses to fight polls
The Sitting Pauri MP says he will not contest the election for fear of CM Harish Rawat sabotaging his chances of victory.
Dehradun: Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Satpal Maharaj on Thursday announced that he will not contest 2014 parliamentary election for which party is yet to announce nominations in the state.
Maharaj blamed chief Minister Harish Rawat forced him to take the extreme step.
Announcing his unwillingness to contest Lok Sabha elections Maharaj expressed fear that Harish Rawat may sabotage his election if he contests.
Maharaj, who is the sitting Congress MP from Pauri Lok Sabh segment claimed that Rawat did not assure his support to the party candidates in Tehri and Pauri constituencies.
"I am pained that CM Harish Rawat had assured victories in three seats including Haridwar, Nainital-Udhamsing Nagar and Almora to the central leadership of the party but he left behind the two constituencies of Garhwal,” Maharaj said.
This is nothing but sheer intentional negligence of Congressmen in Garhwal by the CM. I am not interested in contesting election anymore,” Maharaj added.
Pauri Lok Sabha MP further stressed that hundreds of villages are still cut off from main roads while connectivity between large number of human settlements on two sides of roads are yet to be restored after the rain catastrophe in 2013. He alleged that large number of disaster victims are still without roof over their heads after nearly nine months of June 2013 rain deluge.
"Not only that, I had repeatedly asked from Rawat and his predecessor Vijay Bahuguna to distribute responsibilities of governance to the party workers, both of them were given names of party workers by me I was meted out raw deal" said Maharaj.