Harish Rawat quits Congress posts after ED raids on PA: ‘No weakness should come’ | India News - Hindustan Times

**Harish Rawat Resigns from Congress Posts After ED Raids on Personal Assistant**

Former Uttarakhand chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat announced his resignation from all party posts on Tuesday, following a series of Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on the residence of his personal assistant (PA) in connection with the 2016 Uttarakhand Development Officer (VPDO) recruitment scandal. In a brief statement released through his official Twitter handle, Rawat said, “No weakness should come to the party or to the nation,” emphasizing that stepping down was intended to shield the Congress from any perception of impropriety. The resignation marks Rawat’s latest political setback after a decade of serving as the state’s chief minister (2014‑2017) and as a key figure in the party’s Uttarakhand unit.

The ED’s investigation, launched last month, alleges that the VPDO exam process was marred by irregularities, including the alleged manipulation of merit lists and the illegal procurement of answer sheets. During the raid on the PA’s apartment in Dehradun, officers recovered cash worth ₹2.5 million (approximately $30,000) and gold jewellery estimated at ₹1.2 million. The aide, identified as Raghav Kumar, was taken into custody for questioning, while Rawat denied any direct involvement, insisting that the accusations were politically motivated. The case has drawn attention to a broader pattern of scrutiny over recruitment procedures in Uttarakhand, with opposition parties demanding a transparent inquiry.

The Congress party’s Uttarakhand unit issued a measured response, expressing “deep disappointment” over the raid but acknowledging Rawat’s decision to resign as an act of responsibility. Senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, called for “a fair and swift investigation” and urged the ED to refrain from “politically charged tactics.” Meanwhile, the BJP seized the moment, with Union Minister Rajnath Singh labeling the incident as “evidence of endemic corruption within the Congress.” Analysts suggest that Rawt’s exit could further erode the party’s foothold in the Himalayan state ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections, while also raising questions about the effectiveness of anti-corruption agencies in high‑profile political cases.