Pushkar Singh Dhami is like my younger brother, says Harak Singh Rawat

Uttarakhand Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat, who was upset over the delay in the construction of a medical college in his constituency Kotdwar and had announced his resignation after walking out of the Cabinet meeting, has said that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is like his younger brother, signalling that the sulking leader is placated now.

All issues seem to have been sorted out in the Uttarakhand BJP as after having dinner with Dhami on Saturday, Rawat said: "Dhami is like my younger brother and our relationship dates back many years. "My blessing is with Pushkar Singh Dhami."

Dhami also shared a picture on Twitter, saying: "Met cabinet colleague Harak Singh Rawat over dinner and discussed current issues of the state."

Main opposition party in the state, the Congress had been claiming that Rawat will come back into its fold as he was not happy with the saffron party and was feeling suffocated.

Taking a dig at the Congress, BJP youth wing national secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga tweeted: "Hello Congress, Stop dreaming for Uttarakhand. We are one and United."

Sources said that Rawat's concern has been addressed and he is not going anywhere.

It is learnt that the Dhami government has accepted Rawat's proposal for the medical college in his Assembly constituency Kotdwar and the budget for the medical college would be released in a couple of days.

A senior party functionary said that the BJP cannot afford to lose any leader, MLA or minister months before state Assembly polls.

"In elections everyone is important and any party cannot afford to lose a senior leader like Harak Singh, when you are in a triangular contest with the Congress and AAP. Everyone is important and we will not let anyone go," he said.

Election to the 70-member Uttarakhand Assembly will be held in February- March next year along with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur and Goa.

The BJP has set a target of winning over 60 seats in next Assembly polls in Uttarakhand. In the last Assembly polls in 2017, the BJP had won 57 seats.

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