Chief minister Harish Rawat held 12 jan sabhas in Haridwar on Sunday, at the end of which hundreds of members from small political outfits joined the Congress and pledged their support to his wife and Congress’ Haridwar candidate Renuka Rawat.
Certain leaders from the BJP are also expected to join Congress later.
The prominent among those who joined Congress on Sunday is the Peace Party chief Haji Ahmed Ansari. He joined the party along with hundreds of supporters.
Meanwhile, Rawat had also managed to pacify Ambrish Kumar from Uttarakhand Kranti Morcha and former MLA of Ikbalpur, Roorkee, and reportedly convinced them to join the Congress. Nagar Palika chairman Rishikesh Deep Sharma had also joined Congress last Wednesday.
During the Jan Sabha, Rawat said the faith and affection which he had received from the “down-to-earth persons” belonging to smaller sections of the society is a testimony to the public desire for a Congress leadership at the national level.
“Our vishwakarma brothers, masons, barbers, carpenters and craftsmen want Congress to win. Congress has always taken special care of the small communities and minorities,” Rawat said.
Speaking to Hindustan Times about the prospects of the party in comparison to BJP, Harish Rawat said, “There is no comparison. Modi ko samajh jana chahiye ki dilli abhi dur hai. (Modi must learn that Delhi is still far from his reach).”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to Hindustan Times about the prospects of the party in comparison to BJP, Harish Rawat said, “There is no comparison. Modi ko samajh jana chahiye ki dilli abhi dur hai. (Modi must learn that Delhi is still far from his reach).”
{{/usCountry}}“BJP baura gayi hai, Kisan and naujwan hamare sath hai isliye hamein pura vishwas hai ki uttarakhnad ki janta hamein phir avasar degi. (BJP is baffled, since youths and farmers are with us, people would always give us a chance to come again).” he added.