After the meeting, Rawat decided to stay back in Delhi to participate in the scheduled Congress public protest on October 12 against CEC Gyanesh Kumar alleged and irregularities in special intensive revision of electoral rolls. He is also learnt to be seeking a meeting with party leader Rahul Gandhi.
Selja, who had earlier written to Rawat to stop his “parallel show”, is learnt to have urged the former chief minister to cancel his independent yatra and join official Uttarakhand Congress campaigns, stressing that party unity is essential to defeating the BJP in the upcoming election. She is also learnt to have made it clear that being part of collective work is the norm for all senior Uttarakhand state Congress leaders. ET’s calls to Selja’s office evoked no response.
People close to Rawat said the former CM told Selja that the purpose of his yatra was to rally state Congress workers ahead of the polls and thus strengthen the party’s poll prospects. They said he also complained about alleged attempts to sideline him in the state Congress and a deliberate effort to underplay his former government’s administrative achievements during party meetings and campaigns.Rawat, too, was not available for comments.
Later in a social media post, he said; Today I met KumariSelja ji. We had discussions on many issues. We all share one common goal: that the party grows stronger and we can bring about change in the state in 2027. One thing is as clear as daylight: whatever challenges come before the state and its people from time to time, Harish Rawat will continue to raise his voice for their solutions”.
Although Rawat’s supporters are pushing him for another assembly election run, he is yet to announce his final decision.
