Dehradun Jan 28 PTI With all parties having announced their candidates for the February 14 Uttarakhand election former cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat has emerged as the most prominent face to have been left out of the poll fray It is for the first time in the two-decade old electoral history of Uttarakhand that Rawat -- the veteran of many a poll battle is not contesting The Kotdwar MLA who was recently expelled from the BJP for allegedly insisting on a ticket for both himself and his daughter-in-law had rejoined the Congress on January 22 Despite returning to the Congress fold he could not get a ticket for himself while his reinduction too was not smooth However the four-time MLAs daughter-in-law and former Femina Miss India contestant Anukriti Gusain did get a Congress ticket from Lansdowne Harak Singh Rawat has been saying that he is not keen to contest but would do so if asked by the party There was speculation about the Congress fielding him from Chaubattakhal constituency against BJP heavyweight and sitting MLA from the seat Satpal Maharaj but things appear to have not fallen into place eventually Harak Singh Rawat was a candidate in all the four elections held in the state since its creation in November 2000 and emerged victorious in all of them He won from Lansdowne in 2002 and 2007 He won from Rudraprayag in 2012 and from Kotdwar in 2017 Meanwhile Harak Singh Rawat is likely to throw all his might and political clout into the battle to ensure the victory of his daughter-in-law from Lansdowne Another prominent leader missing from the poll fray this time is former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat who opted out saying he did not want to contest so he could focus on working for the BJPs second consecutive victory in the polls Made chief minister after the party got a huge mandate of 57 out of a total of 70 seats in the state in 2017 Trivendra Singh Rawat was removed rather unceremoniously in March last year just a few days ahead of completing four years in office PTI ALM RHL

Dehradun Jan 21 PTI Five days after he was expelled from the BJP Harak Singh Rawat on Friday joined the Congress in Delhi along with his daughter-in-law Anukriti GusainThe former Uttarakhand minister and his daughter-in-law joined the Congress in the presence of party campaign head for Uttarakhand Harish Rawat PCC president Ganesh Godiyal Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Pritam Singh state party incharge Devender Yadav and other leadersHarak Singh Rawat who represented the Kotdwar seat in the Uttarakhand Assembly was among the 10 MLAs who had rebelled against the then chief minister Harish Rawat-led state government in 2016 and joined the BJP reducing the Congress dispensation to a minorityHarish Rawat who always insisted Harak Singh Rawat should apologise for what he did to his government is said to have been averse to the latters reinduction into the partyHowever there were many in the party who wanted Harak Singh Rawat to be taken inSoon after returning to the Congress Harak Singh Rawat said he has joined the party unconditionallySpeculation is rife that the Congress could field the former minister from Kedarnath and Gusain from Lansdowne in the upcoming Uttarakhand Assembly polls The party is likely to announce its first list of candidates for the February 14 state elections soonHarak Singh Rawat was expelled from the BJP and dismissed from the Uttarakhand Cabinet on Sunday for allegedly mounting pressure for tickets for his family members ahead of the assembly pollsHe was said to have been seeking a ticket for Gusain from the Lansdowne constituency and a change of seat for himself However the BJP disagreed with himRawat was also in the news in December after he left a state cabinet meeting in a huff triggering speculation that he might resign as a minister He was upset over the delay in the state governments approval for a proposal for a medical college in Kotdwar PTI ALM DIV DIV

Dehradun Jan 21 PTI Five days after he was expelled from the BJP Harak Singh Rawat on Friday joined the Congress in Delhi along with his daughter-in-law Anukriti GusainThe former Uttarakhand minister and his daughter-in-law joined the Congress in the presence of party campaign head for Uttarakhand Harish Rawat PCC president Ganesh Godiyal Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Pritam Singh state party incharge Devender Yadav and other leadersHarak Singh Rawat who represented the Kotdwar seat in the Uttarakhand Assembly was among the 10 MLAs who had rebelled against the then chief minister Harish Rawat-led state government in 2016 and joined the BJP reducing the Congress dispensation to a minority PTI ALM DIV

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 19 (ANI): Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Wednesday said that a decision on taking back Harak Singh Rawat into the party is not for him to take and the party leadership has to take a call on the matter.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 19 (ANI): The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress will meet on Thursday at 5 pm for the Uttarakhand assembly polls, said sources on Wednesday.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 19 (ANI): A day after Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat was expelled from BJP, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that the party gave due respect until he was with BJP.

New Delhi [India], January 17 (ANI): Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party Minister Harak Singh Rawat has not joined the Congress officially yet, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said on Monday.

New Delhi [India], January 17 (ANI): Ahead of assembly elections, expelled Bharatiya Janata Party Minister Harak Singh Rawat said that Congress Party will form government in Uttarakhand.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 17 (ANI): Ahead of the assembly elections, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami dismissed State Minister Harak Singh Rawat from the Cabinet, informed Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Saturday.

New Delhi [India], December 25 (ANI): Uttarakhand Minister Harak Singh Rawat is in touch with Congress and is likely to join the party, said sources in the party.