Uttarakhand minister storms out of cabinet meet, BJP says he hasn’t resigned

BJP party state president Madan Kaushik dismissed reports of Rawat’s resignation.

Updated on: Dec 25, 2021, 03:55:59 IST

By Kalyan Das, Neeraj Santoshi, Hindustan Times, Dehradun

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Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat on Friday stormed out of a cabinet meeting reportedly upset over alleged “government inaction” in connection with a proposed medical college in his constituency of Kotdwar, according to officials present at the meeting. He allegedly tendered his “oral resignation” as he walked out, it is learnt.

Uttarakhand minister storms out of cabinet meet, BJP says he hasn’t resigned

However, cabinet minister and government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal and BJP party state president Madan Kaushik, dismissed reports of Rawat’s resignation.

Phone calls and texts to Rawat for comment went unanswered.

“While the cabinet was discussing various proposals during the meeting, led by chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Rawat raised the issue of approving the proposed medical college in his constituency of Kotdwar…which led to an argument between the two,” an official who was present at the meeting said, requesting anonymity.

“The argument heated up as Rawat alleged that development projects in his constituency are not being approved in conspiracy. He then stormed out of the meeting saying, ‘There is no use of being a minister, I am leaving the cabinet’,” said the official.

At a press briefing after the meeting, Uniyal said, “I have no information about his resignation. But he was unhappy over an issue related to proposed medical college in his constituency as apart from being a minister, he is also an MLA.”

Kaushik, while emphasising that Rawat has not resigned, said: “Nobody has resigned from the party. However, if Rawat may have some issues pertaining to his constituency, then party will speak to him and solve them.”

Leader of opposition and senior Congress leader, Pritam Singh, said in a veiled reference: “In politics, doors are never closed permanently for anyone. However, having said that, welcoming any leader from the other party would be decided by leadership after proper analysis.”

Rawat is considered to have played a key role in the rebellion of nine Congress MLAs in 2016 who switched to the BJP.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kalyan Das
Kalyan Das covers crime, transport, human rights and central government offices from Bhopal and Indore.Read More
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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