Dehradun, 28 Oct 2026 — Senior Uttarakhand politician Ramsharan Nautiyal, father of Bollywood playback singer Jubin Nautiyal, officially entered the Congress on Monday, a few days after quitting the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The veteran leader, who left the Congress in 2014, rejoined the party at its state headquarters. Present at the ceremony were Uttarakhand Congress in‑charge Kumari Selja, state president Ganesh Godiyal, Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya and Congress Working Committee member Gurdeep Sappal. Nautiyal, a former Dehradun district panchayat president who had contested an Assembly seat on a BJP ticket, was welcomed as a valuable addition ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections.
Selja used the occasion to launch a vigorous critique of the Pushkar Singh Dhami government. She questioned the impartiality of the CBI probe into the Ankita Bhandari murder case, alleging that a VIP angle involving BJP leader Dushyant Gautam had been ignored and that his recent appointment as Governor of Sikkim raised concerns. Selja also highlighted that Ankita’s parents, seeking justice, had been detained in Delhi rather than granted a hearing.
Turning to broader governance issues, Selja cited perceived erosion of democratic norms, referencing remarks by Rahul Gandhi on “vote theft”. She demanded the removal of minister Rekha Arya from the cabinet, accusing Chief Minister Dhami of shielding her from corruption allegations.
Both Godiyal and Arya called for a transparent inquiry into the alleged VIP connection, warning that Uttarakhand was experiencing rising lawlessness, crimes against women and corruption. Arya cited accusations by his wife that she holds benami assets worth Rs 210 crore and an 80 per cent stake in a company, questioning why agencies such as the ED, Income Tax Department and CBI had not investigated.
Godiyal praised Nautiyal’s political experience, noting that his specific responsibilities within the party would be decided later. Arya described the move as a “homecoming”, recalling Nautiyal’s past roles as Chairman of the Dehradun District Panchayat and as General Secretary and Vice President of the Uttarakhand Congress.
Image: mangalorean.com
📰 Source: Mangalorean News