Uttarakhand govt sanctions Rs.25 crore for medical college post Harak Rawat's resentment

In a bid to address Harak Singh Rawat's grievance, the Uttarakhand government sanctioned Rs.25 crore for the construction of a medical college in Kotdwar. On December 24, the Uttarakhand Labour Minister had reportedly announced his resignation during a Cabinet meeting over the BJP government allegedly dragging its feet on setting up a medical college in this constituency. Moreover, speculation was rife that he would join Congress along with another BJP MLA Umesh Sharma Kau. As per sources, the government took the decision of releasing the funds for the college from the state contingency fund under pressure from Rawat. 

Earlier on December 25, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami had quashed the possibility of Rawat quitting the party by sharing a picture of a dinner meeting with him. Briefing the media thereafter, the state Labour Minister said, "Dhami has assured me that a medical college will be set up in the district at the cost of Rs.25 crore. In the presence of (Cabinet ministers) Dhan Singh and Madan Kaushik, Dhami assured that a hospital will be established here on priority. Pushkar Dhami is (like) my younger brother and our relation dates back many years. I am no longer upset with him".

Rift in Uttarakhand BJP

In the 2017 Uttarakhand Assembly election, the Harish Rawat-led Congress government lost power after BJP won 57 seats in the 70-member House. Thereafter, Trivendra Singh Rawat served as the Chief Minister of the state until 9 March, when he resigned because of a "collection decision" taken by the BJP top brass. His successor and Lok Sabha MP Tirath Singh Rawat's tenure as the CM was also short-lived and was replaced by Pushkar Singh Dhami as the Election Commission was unlikely to conduct a by-election owing to the COVID-19 situation.

The dissent in the BJP state unit resurfaced after leaders such as Harak Rawat, Satpal Maharaj, Dhan Singh Rawat and Bishan Singh Chuphal were snubbed for the CM's post. Sources had hinted earlier that Congress-turned-BJP MLAs such as Kunwar Pranav Singh 'Champion', Shaila Rani Rawat, Shailendra Mohan Singhal and Pradeep Batra are also seeking to join Congress ahead of the Uttarakhand polls due early next year. On October 11, disgruntled BJP Minister Yashpal Arya joined the Sonia Gandhi-led party with his MLA son Sanjeev Arya.