Uttarakhand Min Harak Singh Rawat 'no longer upset' with CM Dhami; avers 'issue resolved'

A day after his dramatic 'resignation' from the cabinet ahead of assembly polls, Uttarakhand Minister Harak Singh Rawat met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday to clear his differences. Rawat was in a rift with the CM over “government's inaction” for a medical college that he had proposed to be established in his Kotdwar constituency.  

The BJP MLA met CM Dhami over dinner at his residence in Dehradun and addressed his grievances. After the meeting, Harak Rawat told reporters that the government has accepted his proposal for a medical college and hospital in Kotdwar, adding that CM Dhami has promised to release Rs 25 crores towards the project. 

Explaining his reason behind resigning from the cabinet, Rawat said, "I had been trying hard for the past five years for a medical college to be set up in Kotdwar. I had raised the matter when Trivendra Rawat was the CM, but he turned it down saying that people of Bijnor can be admitted to other hospitals in the region. I raised the matter in the cabinet meeting (on December 24), but when it went unheard, I expressed displeasure and left the cabinet. It does not matter if I contest elections from Kotdwar, but the promise made to people should be fulfilled."

The Minister added that so far two medical colleges have been set up in his constituency and they were extremely helpful in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. "The CM was also admitted to the hospital after contracting the virus, and shortly after his discharge, I was also admitted to the same hospital," he said. "I believe that a hospital is not just for the benefit of the region or the doctors employed there, but it benefits the entire country in times of health emergencies and crisis. This is why I had been vouching for another medical college here," the MLA remarked.

'No longer upset with CM Dhami': Harak Rawat 

Talking about the discussions held during his dinner meeting with the CM, Harak Rawat said, "Dhami has assured me that a medical college will be set up in the district at the cost of Rs 25 crores. In the presence of (Cabinet ministers) Dhan Singh and Madan Koushik, 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," he stated. 

Earlier on Saturday, BJP MLA Umesh Sharma Kau had also informed that all the grievances of Uttarakhand Minister Harak Singh Rawat had been resolved, adding that "no one is going anywhere". He mentioned that Rawat's proposal for a medical college in Kotdwar has been accepted and the budget for the project will be released by Monday. 

During a state cabinet meeting on Friday, Rawat had walked out when the same was discussed which resulted in speculation over his resignation. The development came just months ahead of the Uttarakhand polls.