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Centre changed 3 CMs because ‘double engine’ model failed: Harish Rawat
Launching a theme song for the election that takes potshots at the three chief ministers in the past five years, Rawat said, the frequent change indicates that PM Narendra Modi has admitted failure
The upcoming assembly elections in Uttarakhand will result in a change of guard as the double-engine model of governance by the Bharatiya Janata Party has failed, said Harish Rawat, the Congress party’s chief election strategist in the state.
The Congress will introduce a slew of welfare measures if it returns to power, Rawat said at a media briefing at party headquarters in Delhi on Monday.
“Today, we are seeking change not only for power, but preservation of democracy to fight for the concept of development which has been distorted,” he said. “The Centre has acknowledged the failure of the double-engine government by changing chief ministers thrice.”
“The double-engine governance model has failed in the state. Why the second chief minister was appointed remains a mystery. Only two people, the Prime Minister and the home minister, know the reason behind the mystery. The third chief minister was also going to become a casualty but managed to stay. Uttarakhand is feeling a sense of insult,” Rawat said.
Launching a theme song for the election that takes potshots at the three chief ministers in the past five years in the state, Rawat said the frequent changes indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has admitted failure.
State Congress leaders put up a united front at the press conference, which comes days after a series of cryptic tweets by Rawat, indicating that he was unhappy with the Congress top brass.
Besides Rawat, who is keen to remain at the helm of the state unit’s affairs, leader of opposition Pritam Singh and state president Ganesh Godiyal were present at the briefing.
Keeping up his attack on the BJP, Rawat said that during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, “the small state had the highest death rate. Due to the BJP, Kumbh contributed to the spread of Covid instead of spreading blessings.”
The Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival, was attended by millions of devotees just ahead of the brutal second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in March last year.
The Congress party will unite “all the people of Uttarakhand and present a government to the people that meet their expectations,” Godiyal said.
(With PTI inputs)
