Expelled from BJP, Harak Singh Rawat rejoins Congress

Just weeks before the assembly polls, expelled Bharatiya Janata Party's Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat rejoined his old party, the Congress, on Friday in the presence of former chief minister Harish Rawat.

Harak Singh Rawat was dismissed from the Uttarakhand cabinet and expelled from the BJP on Monday for "anti-party activities".

Earlier, speaking to ANI, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had said, "He (Harak Singh Rawat) was given due respect till the time he was with us...When reports (of Harak Singh Rawat joining Congress) emerged, the party took the decision (to expel him). We have taken our call...Now it's up to the Congress to take a decision."

He was one of the 10 MLAs who had left the Congress in 2016 and joined the BJP.

Earlier, sources had said that Harish Rawat was uncomfortable with Harak Singh Rawat's re-entry into the Congress and has apprised the party leadership about his views. He is learnt have said that Harak Singh Rawat should not be entertained since he has arrived with a set of conditions and demands.

"I am not angry with anyone. The Congress high command has to decide whether Harak Singh Rawat will be inducted into the party or not. I will accept whatever decision the Congress party takes. I am not in the capacity to decide whether Harak Singh Rawat should be inducted into the party or not," Rawat had said earlier.

He also made a cryptic remark noting that it is not necessary that "all devotees (of God) are good".

"Congress party is like God and God has many devotees. It is not necessary that all devotees are good. Now it depends on God and the devotee that how the devotee pleases God and whether he accepts the devotee," he added.

Uttarakhand will go to the polls on February 14.