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Tirath Singh Rawat govt overturns previous leadership’s major move
Chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat-led Uttarakhand government on Friday reversed one more major decision of the previous government led by Trivendra Singh Rawat
Chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat-led Uttarakhand government on Friday reversed one more major decision of the previous government led by Trivendra Singh Rawat. The state government decided to remove all non-government appointments and nominations made for the post of chairmen, vice-chairmen, advisors in corporations, commissions, civic bodies, councils and those with the status of a minister or minister of state in such bodies.
The move applies to all appointments made since March 18, 2017, except in cases where such appointments were made on constitutional posts for fixed periods. The order in this regard was issued by chief secretary Om Prakash on Friday.
Such appointments are generally made from among party leaders on the directions of the chief minister keeping various political equations and regional considerations in mind.
Opposition Congress termed the development an expression of the ongoing infighting and power struggle within the state BJP unit.
Pritam Singh, state Congress president, said that all such appointments and nominations in such bodies were made by the BJP government. “It was not as if the government had changed and it was necessary to remove such people. It is a clear indication that it is another decision that has been reversed. There is infighting in the state BJP due to which many decisions of the previous government are being changed. All this shows that the BJP has misled the people for four years and now in the last year, they are bringing changes, which won’t fool people here anymore”.
A close aide of former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, wishing not to be named, said that whenever a new chief minister takes over, he has the right to select his ministers and appoint people in such bodies. “Every new CM makes these changes. Nothing more should be read in this development beyond that,” he said. The official added that since 2017, around 70 to 80 such appointments had been made in such bodies by the previous government.
The BJP called the development a routine affair, adding that the Congress is unnecessary raking up the issue as it has been its habit in most cases.
Devendra Bhasin, state BJP spokesperson, said it is a routine development with every new CM, whether it is the BJP or the Congress. “The new CM will choose new party members, who may even include some old ones as well. Our government had appointed around 70 to 80 people, while the Congress government in the past had appointed over 200 or so. They should see what they had done when they were in power and then comment on us,” he said.
