Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is likely to be asked to speed up governance and adopt a visibly pro-active instance on the BJP’s policy of zero tolerance against corruption at his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, BJP insiders said.
During his daylong visit to Delhi, Rawat will also meet BJP chief Amit Shah.
It will, however, be his second meeting with Modi since taking over as the CM a little over a month ago after the BJP’s landslide win in the assembly polls. Rawat’s first meeting with the PM was a “courtesy call”.
Along with him, Modi would have an interaction with chief ministers of 12 other BJP-ruled states to review the implementation of the centrally supported schemes and projects and delivery in general.
They (CMs) have been called to have an interface with the members of Niti Ayog on various planning and budget related issues, the insiders said.
According to them, the prime minister is also slated to have a separate meeting with Rawat.
“It has been organised to discuss the (Rawat) government’s slow paced delivery besides its not-so-aggressive instance against the party’s zero tolerance against corruption,” a state BJP office bearer said. “The twin issues are an area of concern for the prime minister as only two years are left for the next Lok Sabha election.”
{{/usCountry}}“It has been organised to discuss the (Rawat) government’s slow paced delivery besides its not-so-aggressive instance against the party’s zero tolerance against corruption,” a state BJP office bearer said. “The twin issues are an area of concern for the prime minister as only two years are left for the next Lok Sabha election.”
{{/usCountry}}The BJP won all the five Lok Sabha seats in the mountain state in the 2014 general election which the saffron party won with a massive mandate.
Modi, who is eyeing the second term as the PM, doesn’t want the BJP to lose its momentum.
“The Rawat government’s slow pace of delivery appears more pronounced as it is being compared with the proactive approach of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath,” another state BJP leader said.
According to him, they took over around the same time but Rawat hasn’t been able to keep pace with his UP counterpart’s initiatives both on the good governance and law and order fronts.
BJP insiders said Prime Minister Modi was obviously concerned and might direct him (Rawat) to speed up implementation of all the centrally sponsored schemes.
“Besides, he is also likely to ask Rawat to adopt a pro-active instance on the party’s policy of zero tolerance against corruption, which was also one of our key poll planks in the assembly election,” he said.
To be fair to him (Rawat) he did recommend to the Centre a CBI probe against seven officials owing to their alleged involvement in irregularities relating to the construction of National Highway—74 in Udham Singh Nagar district soon after he took over.
But he is facing flak from within his own party owing to the slow progress of the inquiry.
A senior BJP leader said the Rawat government might not pursue the CBI inquiry after the name of one of the ruling party’s senior leaders had started figuring in the NH-74 related scam.
The opposition Congress too has hit out at the Rawat government dubbing its recent move to restrict the sale of liquor for six hours a mere eyewash.
“It is plain eyewash because this government is playing in the hands of a liquor syndicate, or else, it wouldn’t notify 64 state highways as district roads,” state Congress leader Surendra Kumar alleged. “The government’s move is aimed to manoeuvre a court order recommending a liquor ban.” Parliamentary affairs minister Prakash Pant dubbed the allegation as baseless.
Officially, the BJP defended the chief minister claiming that he was doing well. “Modi ji called the meeting because he wanted to evaluate the progress of the centrally sponsored schemes being carried out in all the 13 BJP ruled states,” state BJP spokesperson Suresh Joshi told HT.