‘7 out of 11 ministers from Cong background’

Dehradun: After the oath-taking ceremony by new members in the Dhami govt on Friday, Opposition Congress said that "it is heartening to see that BJP has given preference to MLAs who come from a Congress background." Pradeep Batra, Bharat Singh Chaudhary and Ram Singh Kaira are three out of the five ministers who are from Congress."Out of the previous ministers, Satpal Maharaj, Rekha Arya and Subodh Uniyal earlier won on either Congress tickets or were members of our party. Saurabh Bahuguna had started political journey from BJP, but he is the son of Vijay Bahuguna and so the roots are Congress, too. This means that seven out of their 11 ministers have a Congress background," Congress state chief spokesperson Garima Dasauni told TOI.In 2002, Chaudhary contested from Karnprayag constituency on a Congress ticket and stood third. "Then, he contested from Rudraprayag on NCP ticket in 2007 and as an Independent in 2012, and later went to BJP. In 2017 and 2022, he was from Rudraprayag on a BJP ticket," said Dasauni.In 2012, Batra won on a Congress ticket and his wins in 2017 and 2022 were as a BJP nominee. "He was among the 10 legislators who defected to BJP in 2016," she added.Kaira, in 2012, unsuccessfully contested from Bhimtal on a Congress ticket. In 2017, he won as an Independent. In 2022, he emerged victorious from Bhimtal as a BJP candidate.She added: "It looks like BJP does not have faith in their seniors, and so, giving preference to turncoats."