With over a dozen prominent faces of Congress in Uttarakhand switching sides to BJP since last year, state Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay said those who have joined the saffron party ahead of polls were "greedy", describing them as "Bhasmasur" who would burn themselves as well the party they have joined.
On reports of differences with Chief Minister Harish Rawat over some of the seat allotments as well as on formation of alliance with Progressive Democratic Front (PDF), the party state president said he and Rawat are like a pair of bulls who are working together to plough the field for Congress.
He also claimed that Congress will form the government with two-thirds majority in the 70-seat Uttarakhand Assembly that goes to poll on February 15.
"Those people who were greedy went to BJP. As many as 13 people have switched sides, it will not affect the Congress but will have a negative impact on BJP which has no (chief ministerial) face and people will decide in our favour.
"Those who have switched sides have never served the party. They could not digest as they got more than what they deserved. They have become Bhasmasur for themselves as well as for the party they have joined. I don't think they will get acceptance in Uttarakhand politics," Upadhyay told PTI in an interview.
Asked about the differences between him and Rawat, he said, "We are brothers. We are like the pair of bulls who are tied together to plough the field for the party. We are working for the Congress. I cannot think about going against Rawat. We can only support each other and serve the Congress".
Since last year, over a dozen prominent faces in Congress, including former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, Dalit leader Yashpal Arya and party veteran N D Tiwari, have joined the saffron party.
Congress is grappling with rebellion from within the party in over half a dozen seats in the state, including Sahaspur, from where Upadhyay himself is the party's official nominee.
Party leader Aryendra Sharma, who was a strong contender for the seat, has entered the fray as an Independent from there after resigning from all party positions.
On Sharma's move, Upadhyay said, "I have full faith in him that he would accept the decision of the party and would withdraw from the fray.
On formation of alliance with PDF, Upadhyay said, "Those who have found out the word PDF need to rethink. I want to know where is the PDF now. There was a time when it had seven MLAs. One of them died...Two joined Congress and so on".
PDF was a conglomerate of three independents, three BSP and lone Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) candidates which had supported the state government.
On possible outcome of the election in the state, he said Congress will from the government in Uttarakhand with two-thirds majority.
"First reason is that since Harish Rawat became the chief minister in 2014, it is first time in 16 years that the feeling, which saw a huge struggle for the formation of the state, has been strengthened. People are talking about their struggle for formation of the state and discussing about its development, its people and resources".
Upadhyay said people also want to change the notion that BJP and Congress form the government in the state alternate.
He also hit out at the BJP-led central government, accusing it of trying to dislodge the "elected government" last year and asked the voters to give a fitting reply for such a deed.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modiji should explain why they killed the Congress government on March 18. Why Uttarakhand devboomi was accused of defection. It was an elected government by the people. In a democracy, people have the power to give a befitting reply," he said.
Accusing BJP government of making false promises before the polls, he said, "We are not those who come before election and say give me vote we will transfer money into your account, give pensions, reduce inflation, eliminate unemployment. And when in power, they work opposite and even control your money which is kept in the banks by imposing withdrawal limits.
"Some shopkeepers told me that 60 per cent of their business was impacted due to demonetisation. Now you have to decide whether you will believe in 'jumla' or Congress which has the history of service and development," he said.
Upadhyay also chastised BJP for forgetting the Ram Temple issue, which he said, was their main plank at some point of time.
"If they could forget their movement against building Ram Temple and the money they collected for the purpose, BJP will take no time to betray anyone," he said.
Listing out various agenda for the state, he said the main one is the women empowerment and reservation for them in government jobs.
