'PM Modi visited Kedarnath for BJP's marketing': Harish Rawat levels charge ahead of polls

Ahead of the Uttarakhand polls, Congress leader Harish Rawat claimed that PM Modi visited Kedarnath on Friday for BJP's "marketing". Earlier in the day, the PM prayed at the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand, unveiled the Adi Shankaracharya statue besides inaugurating several redevelopment projects worth Rs.130 crore. In a lighter vein, the former Uttarakhand CM contended that the PM might have to permanently seek refuge in the Kedarnath temple if people express their anger over the rising inflation in the election. 

Harish Rawat remarked, "The PM has come there for giving a political speech. He has come for his party's marketing. We see Jyotirling in our Shiva temples. We see God Kedar in our Shiva temples. We are going to pour water in Shiva temples. In the entire state, Congress workers are pouring water in Shiva temples. They are doing so in the 12 Jyotirlinga temples. We are praying for maintaining peace and communal harmony in the country and that democracy should be safeguarded."

"He is doing less darshan of Kedar Baba but giving his darshan to the people using the name of Kedar Baba. If the inflation increases a little more and if the Hindus are unable to control their anger, he will have to take samadhi (in Kedarnath temple)," he added. The Uttarakhand Assembly elections are due early next year.  

Uttarakhand polls

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 March 9, 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.

AAP has tried to make inroads in the state in the last few months with a mass outreach campaign titled 'Uttarakhand me bhi Kejriwal', increasing online presence besides regular visits by high-profile leaders such as Manish Sisodia. However, non-BJP and non-Congress parties have failed to make any gains in Uttarakhand so far which is evident from the failure of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, SP and BSP. While AAP has declared Colonel (retd.) Ajay Kothiyal as its CM face, Congress is yet to confirm whether the Uttarakhand polls will be fought under ex-Chief Minister Harish Rawat's leadership.