Angry Ramdev plans new investments outside Uttarakhand

Upset with the Congress for being accused of destabilising the state government, Ramdev now considers BJP-ruled states for expanding his business, reports Shishir Prashant.

After facing bitter opposition from the Congress government in Uttarakhand, yoga guru Ramdev is planning new business investments outside Uttarakhand.

Sources close to him told said that Ramdev was looking for suitable sites in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra -- being ruled by the non-Congress parties -- where sizeable investments can be made in food and Ayurvedic business.

The sources said Ramdev was "very angry" with the Congress after he was accused of destabilising the state government in the wake of revolt by nine party MLAs.

The demand for the food and other Ayurvedic products manufactured at the Patanjali food park in Haridwar is growing very fast. It began multiplying after Ramdev allowed Patanjali products to be sold in the open market. The new strategy has worked very well.

Earlier, 200 boxes carrying Patanjali products used to be loaded from the company's food and herbal park in Haridwar in a day. Now, as many as 5,000 boxes are sent to different directions daily, according to officials at the food park.

Sources say Ramdev wants to take the Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) business (FY15 figures) to Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) over the next two years.

Recently, Patanjali tied up with Kishore Biyani to retail its 500 odd products, including biscuits, juice, honey, supplements, toiletries and instant noodles, through Big Bazaar outlets.

The Congress had said Ramdev was trying to topple the Harish Rawat government in the wake of the revolt by nine party MLAs -- a charge denied by Ramdev.

"I still stand by my statement that Ramdev is destabilising our government. If he wants to shift elsewhere, let him go," said Congress state chief Kishore Upadhyay.

The Uttarakhand government has registered as many as 96 cases against Ramdev since 2012 when the Congress came to power in the state.