Harak Singh Rawat was one of the 10 MLAs who had left the Congress in 2016 to join BJP
Five days after he was expelled the BJP sacked him, Harak Singh Rawat today returned to the Congress in Delhi along with his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain.
The former Uttarakhand Minister and his daughter-in-law joined the Congress in the presence of party campaign head for Uttarakhand Harish Rawat and other senior leaders.
Harak Singh Rawat, who represented Uttarakhand's Kotdwar seat in the state Assembly, was among the 10 MLAs who had rebelled against then Chief Minister Harish Rawat in 2016 and joined the BJP, reducing the Congress to a minority in the state.
Harish Rawat, who has always insisted that his brother should apologise for what he did to his government is reportedly averse to Harak Singh Rawat's reinduction into the party. But there were many in the party who wanted Harak Singh Rawat to be taken in.
Soon after returning to the Congress, Harak Singh Rawat said he has joined the party unconditionally.
Speculation is rife that the Congress could field the former minister from Kedarnath and his daughter-in-law from Lansdowne in the coming polls. The party is likely to announce its first list of candidates for the February 14 elections soon.
Harak Singh Rawat was expelled from the BJP and dismissed from the Uttarakhand Cabinet for allegedly "mounting pressure" for tickets for his family members. He was said to have been seeking a ticket for Ms Gusain from the Lansdowne constituency and a change of seat for himself. However, the BJP disagreed with him.
Harak Singh Rawat was also made headlines last month after he left a state cabinet meeting in a huff, triggering speculation that he might be resigned as a minister. He was upset over the delay in the state government's approval for a proposal for a medical college in Kotdwar.