"Not aspiring to be CM; goal is to form govt in Uttarakhand": Harish Rawat

In a post on Facebook, Rawat refuted the rumours of him being in the race to be Congress' CM candidate for the polls. He said that his goal is just to form a Congress government in the state.

The Congress leader wrote, "My goal is to form a government in Uttarakhand in 2027. After Congress wins a majority in 2027, I am not aspiring to become Chief Minister, nor any other position. By the grace of the Congress Party, I have risen from a small booth-level worker to a Union Minister, and even become the Chief Minister of the state. I have been appointed President of the District Youth Congress, National General Secretary of the Congress Party, and a member of the Congress Working Committee."

"I have neither possessed the qualifications nor the ability, nor do I aspire to anything beyond this. Rumours of my being in the race for Chief Minister are unfounded; our party has qualified and capable candidates for this position," he added.

Rawat invoked the Ankita Bhandari murder case, stating that Congress' goal is to get justice in the case. Targeting the BJP, he also alleged a scam in the midday meal scheme in the state.

He said, "Our goal is to form a Congress government in 2027! Our goal is to overthrow the BJP government and form a Congress government! To achieve this goal, I constantly strive to bring the achievements of the Congress governmentincluding those during my tenure as Chief Ministerto the public's memory, and in comparison, highlight the failures of the BJP government."

"Our goal is to ensure justice for Uttarakhand's daughter, Ankita Bhandari, and to bring the VIPs responsible for her murder to justice. Furthermore, we must bring to justice the 'Bunty-Babli' who committed the hundreds of crores of rupees in midday meal and food grain scams (of which a 210 crore scam has been admitted), snatching the food from school children and pregnant sisters, and who built luxurious farmhouses and palaces in Bareilly! My goal is also to make Uttarakhandi identity an essential part of the Uttarakhand government's policies and programs," the post read.

Congress is gearing up for the Legislative Assembly elections next year. The party is set to deploy its top leadership, National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, into the campaign arena.

The Pradesh Congress Committee has finalised the blueprint for rallies featuring these three star campaigners.

According to the state Congress, the official dates for the rallies will be announced shortly upon receiving approval from the central leadership. The Congress has scheduled the programs for all three leaders by striking a balance across both administrative divisions of the stateGarhwal and Kumaonas well as the plain and hilly regions.

The entry of these three prominent figures is expected to heat up the electoral atmosphere and boost the morale of party workers, injecting fresh energy into the cadres. Congress is expected to highlight key issues including the Agnipath scheme, unemployment, and women's safety.

Additionally, starting today, the Congress is launching a massive signature campaign and mass-awareness drive against the alleged corruption of the BJP government.

State General Secretary (Organisation) Rajendra Bhandari stated that a special signature campaign will run until November 18 against the corruption allegations levelled against Ministers Rekha Arya, Ganesh Joshi, and Dhan Singh Rawat. Under this drive, pamphlets and banners bearing signatures will be used to raise public awareness. On November 23, a march (padayatra) will be taken out to the Raj Bhavan, and the signature-bearing banners and pamphlets will be submitted to the Governor to demand action. (ANI)