Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has officially ruled himself out of the chief minister's race for the 2027 assembly elections.
He stated that his primary objective is to oust the BJP and ensure the formation of a Congress government.
Rawat emphasized that any decision regarding the top post after a party victory will be determined by the central leadership.
Pulling out of the chief minister's race, former chief minister Harish Rawat has said that his primary objective is to see a Congress government formed in Uttarakhand in 2027.
As the party prepares for the upcoming elections with statewide campaigns, Rawat said that if the Congress party secures a majority in 2027, then "I have no aspiration for the position of chief minister, nor for any other office."
Calling speculation regarding his participation in the race for the chief ministers post as entirely baseless, Rawat said in a social media post on Wednesday, "Our party has many capable and qualified individuals for this role. Our goal is to ensure the formation of a Congress government in 2027. We aim to oust the BJP government and establish a Congress administration."
Reflecting on his political journey within the party, he noted that the Congress provided him opportunities ranging from serving as a booth-level worker to becoming a Union minister and a chief minister. Consequently, he no longer harbours any desire for any specific position.
"I consistently strive to remind the public of the achievements of the Congress government, including those from my own tenure as chief minister, while highlighting the failures of the BJP government by way of comparison," the former chief minister added.
In his post, Rawat also placed significant emphasis on the Ankita Bhandari murder case. He stated that his objective is to secure justice for a 'daughter of Uttarakhand' and to bring the 'VIP' allegedly linked to her murder to justice.
Describing this as a matter of great importance for the state, he linked the demand for justice to the Congress party's core political priorities.
The former chief minister also raised the issue of an alleged scam involving mid-day meals for schoolchildren and food supplies intended for pregnant women. He alleged that hundreds of crores of rupees were siphoned off by depriving schoolchildren and pregnant women of their rightful food.
"We must hold accountable the 'Bunty-Babli' duo, those who siphoned off hundreds of crores through scams involving mid-day meals and food grains meant for schoolchildren and pregnant women (a scam involving Rs 210 crore has already been acknowledged), and who used these ill-gotten gains to build a lavish farmhouse and a palatial estate in Bareilly," Rawat alleged.
