Rawat: PM indulging in ‘combative federalism’

Rawat is fighting a legal battle challenging the imposition of the President’s Rule in the state.

Dehradun: Former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat addressing press at his house in Dehradun. PTI

DEPOSED UTTARAKHAND Chief Minister Harish Rawat Wednesday met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and discussed the options before the party if the BJP moved to form government in the state with the backing of the nine rebel MLAs. The Congress has remained in touch with some of the rebel MLAs, who have so far showed no signs of returning to the party fold.

Rawat could not meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as she was away in West Bengal. Rawat is fighting a legal battle challenging the imposition of the President’s Rule in the state.

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“The PM often talks about cooperative federalism but what he is doing is combative federalism. What has happened in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand bear testimony to it. This is not a matter related to one state or only Congress party, this is an assault on the federal structure,” Rawat told reporters. He reiterated his demand for fresh elections in the state.

With the BJP alleging that corruption was rampant during Rawat’s tenure, the ex-CM said he was ready for any probe into allotment of mining leases and liquor sale. “I have nothing to fear. I am rather keen that a probe happens. I have not granted any new mining licence. They were done during the previous governments headed by Vijay Bahuguna and Ramesh Pokhrial.” The BJP is keen to form government in the state and reiterated that its senior leaders are trying to poach MLAs from other parties, he said.

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