By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Amid suspense over who will be Congress party’s face for the top job in Uttarakhand ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, former chief minister Harish Rawat has made it clear that he is neither aspiring to become chief minister nor seeking any other post if the party comes to power.
In a Facebook post, Rawat said his sole objective was to ensure that the Congress secured a majority and formed the government in the state in 2027. He described speculation about his being in the chief ministerial race as unwarranted.
“I am not an aspirant for the chief minister’s post or any other position after the Congress gets a majority in 2027. The party has given me much more than I deserved, taking me from a small booth-level worker to a Union minister and chief minister,” he said.
Recalling his political journey, Rawat said he had served as president of the district Youth Congress, national general secretary of the Congress and a member of the Congress Working Committee. He said he had no further ambitions and acknowledged that there were several capable and deserving leaders in the party for the chief minister’s post.
“Our goal is to bring the Congress government to power in Uttarakhand in 2027 and dislodge the BJP government,” he said.
Explaining his frequent criticism of the BJP government, Rawat said he was trying to remind people of the achievements of previous Congress governments, including those during his own tenure as chief minister, while highlighting the failures of the incumbent government.
He also listed justice for Ankita Bhandari, whose murder has become a major political issue in the state, among the Congress’s priorities. He said those responsible for her murder, including the alleged VIP whose role has been a subject of controversy, should be brought before the law.
Rawat further accused the BJP government of failing to act against those allegedly involved in a mid-day meal and foodgrain scam, claiming that hundreds of crores meant for schoolchildren and pregnant women had been siphoned off. He referred to an alleged Rs 210-crore scam and demanded legal action against those responsible.
He also said that making ‘Uttarakhandiyat’ an integral part of the state’s government policies and programmes would be among his priorities.
Rawat’s statement comes as the Congress steps up its preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections, with the party seeking to challenge the BJP’s bid to retain power in the hill stat