Ahead of Assembly polls, Harak Singh Rawat dismissed from Uttarakhand Cabinet, expelled from BJP for 6 years

Rawat, a BJP MLA, has also been expelled from the party for a term of six years.

The decision to dismiss Rawat from the cabinet was taken during the BJP's Uttarakhand core group meeting held at the party's headquarters in Delhi on Saturday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami were present in the meeting along with the party's National President Jagat Prakash Nadda, State president Madan Kaushik, state election in-charge Pralhad Joshi, election co-in charge RP Singh and others.

Harak Singh Rawat did not even attend the BJP core group meeting. Rawat was angry with the party since he had been demanding tickets for himself and for his daughter-in-law Anukruti Gusai, for which BJP was not ready.

According to sources, Harak Singh was constantly pressurizing BJP to give three tickets including himself, his daughter-in-law and one of his supporters.

Earlier too, he had been pressurizing the party for getting his demands fulfilled. But this time the party did not entertain his demands and showed him the way out by expelling him from the party.

Earlier in December, Harak Singh Rawat had quit the cabinet and threatened to resign from the party following which BJP leaders had asked him to remain in the party to which he had agreed.

Harak Singh Rawat came to BJP five years ago after rebelling from Congress. Although, speculations are rife about Rawat returning to Congress again. He has a long history of changing political parties.

Meanwhile, Dhami on Saturday had said that he will contest the upcoming Assembly polls in the state from the Khatima constituency and said that the list of candidates will be announced soon.

The Chief Minister added that they have set a target of winning more than 60 seats out of the 70 seats in the Assembly through a slogan ''Abki Baar 60 Paar'.

In the last Assembly election, BJP secured the win on 57 seats out of 70 Assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand.

Polls to elect the 70-member State Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held on February 14. The counting will take place on March 10. (ANI)