New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has resigned from two organisational positions in the party following an Enforcement Directorate search involving his former aide, Chandan Singh Jeena.
Rawat announced the decision on Friday in a post on X, saying he did not want the controversy surrounding the ED action to undermine the Congress’s campaign against corruption.
The ED action at Jeena’s premises in Dehradun has reportedly been linked to allegations concerning the manipulation of OMR answer sheets in the Uttarakhand Gram Sevak recruitment examination. Reports have also emerged about the alleged recovery of cash and jewellery during the search.
In his statement, Rawat confirmed that Jeena had worked closely with him in the past, including as his Officer on Special Duty. He said Jeena had handled important responsibilities during periods when Rawat held government and party positions.
Rawat maintained that the allegations against his former associate were difficult for him to accept. He said that if evidence ultimately establishes that Jeena was involved in tampering with examination records, such conduct would be deeply shameful. However, he added that he currently had no reason to accept the allegations as established facts.
The former chief minister also suggested that the timing of the action could have political implications, with Uttarakhand entering an election-oriented phase. He referred to an earlier quip of his that election preparations would become clear when investigative agencies came knocking, saying that this time the action had taken place at the premises of someone associated with him.
Rawat said Congress workers were engaged in raising the issue of corruption and referred to Rahul Gandhi’s Chhatron Ki Goonj campaign, which focuses on concerns surrounding the education system.
He said he did not want any controversy connected to him to provide ammunition to those seeking to weaken the party’s campaign.
As Rawat does not currently hold a government position, he chose to step down from his organisational responsibilities instead. He resigned from the executive body of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and also relinquished his position as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee.
Rawat said the move was intended to prevent the developments surrounding his former associate from causing any damage to the Congress party’s interests or its political campaign.
