Thursday, 11 April 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Reacting sharply to a social media post by the Khanpur MLA, Umesh Kumar former chief minister Harish Rawat has said that Kumar is an agent of the ruling BJP.
Khanpur MLA had posted an old picture of Rawat on social media in which he was seen handing over a bouquet to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the post Kumar claimed that after April 19, Rawat will join BJP with his family members. He also claimed that 10 MLAs of Congress party will also defect to BJP with Rawat.
Responding to the claim of Kumar, the former CM said that it is a pity that a stingster (person doing a sting) is also dreaming to become a Member of Parliament. He said that in an attempt to give benefit to BJP, Kumar has posted an old picture of him with PM Modi. “The picture is of 2016 when I was CM of the State and PM Modi was visiting Uttarakhand. A deliberate attempt is being made to create confusion and help BJP. This tool of BJP first tried to dislodge our government and now is trying to defame me in an attempt to provide political benefit to BJP,’’ he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Kumar had conducted a sting operation of the then chief minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat in the year 2016. The sting video of Rawat surfaced when his government was rocked by the resignation of nine Congress MLAs including former CM Vijay Bahuguna. Following the defection of MLAs to BJP, the centre imposed President’s rule in the State. Rawat challenged the decision in court which ordered a floor test in which he saved his government. However in the assembly elections of 2017 Congress suffered a humiliating defeat as its candidates were able to win in only 11 seats in the 70 member assembly.
