Citing polls in Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat seeks to be relieved as Congress's Punjab affairs in-charge

CHANDIGARH: Citing next year's assembly polls in Uttarakhand where he is the Congress' campaign committee chairman, Harish Rawat has sought to be relieved as the in-charge of party affairs in Punjab.

He said that to concentrate on the upcoming polls in Uttarakhand, it had been on his mind to seek to be relieved of the responsibility as the party's Punjab affairs in-charge.

"Yes, this is the reason," the former Uttarakhand chief minister told reporters in Dehradun on Thursday when asked if he has sought to be relieved of the charge as Punjab affairs in-charge so that he could concentrate on the upcoming polls in his state.

He added that he would abide by whatever direction is given to him by the party.

"If my party asks me to continue (as Punjab affairs in-charge), I will continue," said Rawat.

Punjab and Uttarakhand will go to polls next year.

While the Congress is seeking to retain power in Punjab, it aims to return to power by defeating the ruling BJP in the hill state.

Punjab is witnessing an infighting between the camps of Chief Minister Amamrinder Singh and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Rawat, who is currently in Delhi to meet the party's senior leadership, had recently said next year's Punjab Assembly polls will be fought under the leadership of Amarinder Singh, delivering a snub to the leaders wanting his removal.

Rawat had also said that there was no threat to the Amarinder Singh-led government in Punjab.