Dehradun, Jan 19 (PTI) Former Uttarakhand Cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat is learnt to have met senior Congress leaders in New Delhi on Wednesday in a bid to rejoin the party amid increasing opposition to his return.

Harak Singh Rawat had rebelled against the Congress government led by Harish Rawat in 2016 and had joined the BJP.

Also Read | ‘Learnt From School About Good Touch And Bad Touch’: Accused Imprisoned Under POCSO Act in Kerala Following Boy's Statement.

He was expelled by the BJP recently after he allegedly put pressure on the party leadership to give ticket to his kin for next month's Assembly polls, a charge denied by the leader.

Aware of the increasing opposition to his re-entry into the Congress, Harak Singh Rawat met senior party leaders in Delhi to make his case, sources said.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Govt Allows Liquor Sale at All Airports and Supermarkets, Cuts Prices by 20%.

He assured them of putting at least 10 seats in the party's kitty using his clout.

However, he has got no signal from them so far to join the party, the sources added.

With Congress' campaign head Harish Rawat having reservations about Harak Singh Rawat's re-entry into the party, leaders loyal to the former chief minister have come out openly against the expelled BJP leader.

Knowing well that Harish Rawat's reservations could be a roadblock for him, Harak Singh Rawat had expressed his readiness to apologise to him on Tuesday, describing him as his elder brother.

However, Congress Rajya Sabha member Pradeep Tamta, who is considered close to Harish Rawat, said, "If the party takes in people who rebelled against its government in 2016 under a conspiracy to murder democracy, it would be difficult for it to explain to people why it did so."

He said "murderers of democracy should be kept at a distance" because there is no guarantee that they will not "repeat their sin again".

Kedarnath MLA Manoj Rawat also described Harak Singh Rawat as the "murderer of democracy", saying senior party leaders should think well over whether or not to take in such people.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)