Politics
Kharge Calls for Accountability in Uttarakhand Ahead of Assembly Elections
Mallikarjun Kharge, chief of the Congress party, pledged on Monday to secure a trustworthy and accountable government in Uttarakhand as he chaired a strategy meeting with state party leaders in Delhi. The meeting, held at Kharge’s residence, was attended by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, and state in-charge Kumari Selja. Kharge criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments at the centre and in Uttarakhand for betraying the hopes of the people. He noted that the BJP won 47 of 70 seats in the 2022 assembly elections, while Congress secured only 19 seats, ending a pattern of alternating power every five years. In a post on X, Kharge said Uttarakhand’s citizens demand accountability and a change, adding that the Congress Party is fighting for public rights from the streets to the assembly. He cited deteriorating law and order, concerns over women’s safety, arrogance of power, and a tendency to shirk accountability as major disappointments. Selja echoed these concerns, stating that over the past decade the BJP government has failed on law and order, education, health, women’s safety, unemployment, and migration. She said the public is ready for a political transition and that the Congress Party is committed to public welfare, development, and accountability. State Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal posted on Facebook that the discussions focused on key socio‑political issues, grassroots organisational readiness, and a strategy for the assembly polls. Godiyal told journalists that the central leadership’s focus is clear: Congress must win the election. He added that the meeting was intended for state unit office bearers and key committee heads, and that former chief minister Harish Rawat will be present in future meetings as needed. Other attendees included Yashpal Arya, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, campaign committee chairman Pritam Singh, and election management committee head Harak Singh Rawat.