Uttarakhand Congress disowns senior leader’s promise of free power and water, rift shows

Harish Rawat said he will take the idea to party leadership in the state so that it can be discussed and made part of party manifesto.

As Uttarakhand Assembly elections draw near, differences within state Congress are emerging over senior party leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat’s promise to provide 100 to 200 units of electricity and 25 litres of water free to people in the state if the Congress was voted to power in 2022 state elections.

Congress leadership in Uttarakhand said they have to ensure that the party only makes such election promises that can be fulfilled. (HT Photo)

The state Congress leadership has distanced itself from Rawat’s stand, maintaining that it has not been discussed by the state party leadership.

Harish Rawat, who is party national general secretary and in-charge for Punjab, said he had made the promise for free power and drinking water given the robust power generation network developed in the state over the years and good availability of water resources in the Himalayan state.

“I am firm on my stand as we have the capacity to provide free electricity in the range of 100 to 200 units. Our power distribution and generation capacity has developed over the years to the extent that we can provide it free to some extent. In case of drinking water supply, with the hill state having good water resources, we can provide 25 litres of pure water to each family free of charge. All this is possible,” he insisted.

When questioned about his party leadership’s reluctance to endorse his view citing the poll manifesto had not been prepared yet, Rawat said, “Ideas are floated first and then made part of the manifesto. In this case also, I will present it before the party, discuss it with them, so that these could be made part of the manifestos” he said.

State Congress has distanced itself from Rawat’s promise, emphasising the issue has not been discussed by the party yet.

Pritam Singh, Congress state president, said, Harish Rawat is a senior leader of the party who has come up with this idea. “But as a party president in the state, I can tell you it is not the party stand, nor has the party come up with the manifesto yet. As the idea has been floated, in the coming time, we will discuss it in the party and take appropriate action,” he said.

Suryakant Dhasmana, state Congress vice president, said, Harish Rawat’s suggestions are valuable given his vast political experiences but such announcements are made by the party and not by any individual leader.

“Our poll manifesto committee will decide what promises the party needs to make. The party will discuss this idea also, but we have to ensure that we make promises that the party can fulfil in future. Otherwise, it will be very embarrassing for the party,” he said.

Bansidhar Bhagat, state BJP president said the promise made by Rawat was an election gimmick.

“The state is not in a position to do such things at present. Congress is desperate and it is showing. I want to ask Harish Rawat, what has he done for the state when he was in power. Now, he is making empty promises to people. Congress needs to do some introspection first,” he said.