Ramsharan Nautiyal, a senior Uttarakhand political figure and father of Bollywood singer Jubin Nautiyal, formally joined the Indian National Congress on Monday, 19 October 2026 in New Delhi, days after resigning from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His return to the Congress — a party he had left in 2014 — comes months ahead of the pivotal 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, signalling early political realignments in the hill state.

A Political Homecoming

Nautiyal, a former Dehradun District Panchayat president who had previously contested an Assembly election on a BJP ticket, rejoined the Congress at the party headquarters. The induction took place in the presence of Uttarakhand Congress in-charge Kumari Selja, state party president Ganesh Godiyal, Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya, and Congress Working Committee member Gurdeep Sappal.

Arya described the development as a natural return, noting that Nautiyal had historically been aligned with Congress ideology and had served the party in senior roles including General Secretary and Vice President of the Uttarakhand Congress unit. Godiyal said Nautiyal's specific responsibilities within the organisation would be decided at a later stage.

Congress Targets Dhami Government Over Ankita Bhandari Case

The induction event also served as a platform for the Congress to mount a sharp attack on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's government. Selja questioned the impartiality of the CBI's investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case, alleging that the so-called VIP angle had not been adequately examined. She claimed that BJP leader Dushyant Gautam's name had surfaced in connection with the alleged VIP angle, and questioned the timing of his appointment as Governor of Sikkim.

Selja further alleged that Ankita Bhandari's parents, who are seeking justice, had faced detention in Delhi rather than receiving a hearing from authorities — a claim that the government has not publicly addressed.

Corruption Allegations Against Minister Rekha Arya

Congress leaders also targeted state minister Rekha Arya over corruption allegations, citing claims made by her husband accusing her of possessing benami assets worth ₹210 crore and holding an 80 per cent stake in a company. Selja questioned why central agencies — including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Income Tax Department, and the CBI — had not examined these allegations, and why Chief Minister Dhami had not removed her from the Cabinet.

Godiyal and Arya echoed these concerns, alleging that Uttarakhand was witnessing growing lawlessness, crimes against women, and systemic corruption under the current government.

Statewide Yatra and Assembly Gherao Announced

The Congress announced a statewide yatra ahead of the 27-28 October Assembly session and said it would gherao the Uttarakhand Assembly on 27 October to protest the Ankita Bhandari murder case, corruption, crimes against women, and the ruling government's policies.

Addressing the broader political landscape, Selja said: 'Everyone knows what the current situation in Uttarakhand is like. Democracy is being shredded across the entire country, be it the SIR issue, the role of the Chief Election Commissioner or the conduct of the Election Commission of India. Our leader Rahul Gandhi has been consistently speaking out about 'vote theft'.'

With the Congress building momentum through high-profile inductions and a renewed attack on the state government, the party appears to be setting the stage for an early and aggressive campaign ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections.