Dehradun Feb 24 PTI Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has taken up with the Prime Ministers Office PMO the issue of safe return of the people of his state stuck in Ukraine The PMO has already initiated efforts for the safe return of all Indian citizens from Ukraine including those from Uttarakhand Dhami who spoke to officials in the PMO on Wednesday regarding the matter said The matter has also been discussed with officials in the Ministry of External Affairs Dhami said Russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine on Thursday as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences they had never seen Big explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv Kharkiv and Odesa Parents and guardians of a large number of students from Uttarakhand studying in Ukrainian cities like Kyiv Lviv and Kharkiv are worried about the well-being of their wards State Congress president Ganesh Godiyal has also written to the chief minister urging him to ensure the safe return of the states people stuck in Ukraine Talking to reporters here on Thursday Godiyal said he had requested the chief minister to arrange out of the state governments own resources special planes if necessary to transport people of the state stuck in Ukraine However I dont think they would do anything They are insensitive people not bothered about matters of public concern he said PTI ALM SMN

Dehradun Jan 26 PTI Former BJP MLA from Narendra Nagar Om Gopal Rawat on Wednesday joined the Congress along with his supporters here in the presence of state party president Ganesh Godiyal and other leaders Welcoming him into the party fold Godiyal said his entry will strengthen the Congress Om Gopal Rawat was disappointed over denial of ticket to him by the BJP from the Narendra Nagar seat from where sitting MLA and Cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal has been fielded for the Assembly polls PTI ALM RDK RDK

New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to address two public meetings at Srinagar and Almora area in Uttarakhand ahead of the Assembly polls in the state scheduled for this year.

New Delhi Dec 24 PTI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held frantic parleys on Friday and brought about a truce between warring factions in poll-bound Uttarakhand with senior leader Harish Rawat who had declared a virtual revolt announcing that he would lead the partys election campaign The party however made it clear that its chief ministerial candidate will be picked only after the election outcome It has been a bone of contention between various factions of the party The damage control exercise was led by Gandhi who met Rawat and other state leaders The meetings came two days after Rawat had declared a virtual rebellion saying the leadership had abandoned him and he felt he had had enough Emerging from the meeting the former Uttarakhand chief minister said We put our problems before the leadership and accept whatever decisions are taken by them I will lead the party campaign in Uttarakhand elections Kadam kadam badhaye ja Congress ke geet gaye ja Keep marching ahead together sings paeans to Congress he said adding that he will continue to work for the welfare of Uttarakhand The Congress president has the special right to decide on the leader of the Congress Legislature Party after talking to elected legislators Rawat said He said everyone honours that and will abide by the decision of the Congress president Gandhi also separately met state Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal who supported Rawat in the ongoing factional war within the state unit Rawat it is learnt is keen to be projected as the chief ministerial face of the party but Gandhi has said that the decision would be taken after the elections Gandhi also met AICC in-charge of Uttarakhand Devendra Yadav with whom Rawat is reportedly not getting along well and several other leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Tamta Congress Legislature Party leader Pritam Singh Yashpal Arya and former state unit chief Kishore Upadhyay It was made clear in the meeting that Congress president Sonia Gandhi will take a decision on who would be the chief minister after the elections if the party bags majority We had a very successful meeting Yadav said and mentioned about the decision on the chief ministerial face Godiyal said an atmosphere as required by Rawat would be created and everyone would support him Uttarakhand goes to assembly polls early next year and the Congress is trying to return to power in the hill state PTI SKC SMN SMN

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 8 (ANI): With Uttarakhand Assembly polls scheduled for early next year, the Congress has finalised the names of 38 candidates and assured tickets to all sitting legislators, informed Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal on Wednesday.