Kharge pledges to give Uttarakhand accountable govt as he chairs poll strategy meeting

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday resolved to win the people’s trust and give Uttarakhand a safe, sensitive, and accountable government that puts public interest above all else, as he chaired a meeting with state party leaders in Delhi on Monday to chart a roadmap for the assembly elections in the state due next year.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, and state in-charge Kumari Selja were among those who attended the meeting at Kharge’s residence.

Kharge said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments at the Centre and in Uttarakhand have betrayed the hopes and aspirations of the state’s people.

The BJP swept back to power in Uttarakhand in 2022, securing 47 seats in the 70-member House. The Congress managed only 19, ending a trend of alternating power between the two parties every five years.

In a post on X, Kharge said Uttarakhand’s people are demanding accountability and want a change. “The Congress Party is strongly fighting for the rights and entitlements of the public from the streets to the Assembly.”

Kharge said the completely collapsed law and order situation, grave concerns over women’s safety, the arrogance of power, and a constant tendency to shirk accountability have deeply disappointed the state’s people.

Selja echoed him, saying the public is eager for a political transition in Uttarakhand. “Over the past nearly 10 years, the BJP government in Uttarakhand has completely failed on every major issue, including law and order, education, health, women’s safety, unemployment, and migration.”

She said people, tormented by the BJP government’s failures and anti-people policies, have made up their minds for change. “The Congress Party is fighting with full strength for the rights and dignity of the people of Uttarakhand. Our resolve is clear: to free the state from the BJP’s failed policies and advance the politics of public welfare, development, and accountability,” Selja said.

In a Facebook post, state Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal said the discussions centered on key socio-political issues facing Uttarakhand, grassroots organisational readiness, and a strategy for the assembly polls.

Godiyal told journalists that the central leadership’s focus for the elections is clear. “Congress must win this election. Today’s meeting was centered on this very objective, where Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and KC Venugopal engaged in detailed discussions to prepare us with an exhaustive strategy. We are confident that under their guidance, Congress will contest the elections with renewed strength.”

When asked about former chief minister Harish Rawat’s absence, Godiyal said, “There is no issue. The meeting was specifically convened for office bearers of the state unit and key committee heads. Moving forward, Rawat will be present in future meetings as required.”

Yashpal Arya, the leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, campaign committee chairman Pritam Singh, and election management committee head Harak Singh Rawat also attended the meeting.