BJP hopes to get its way in Uttarakhand

Buoyed by the Supreme Court order on Friday staying the Uttarakhand High Court's decision nullifying President's Rule and reinstating Harish Rawat as the chief minister, the BJP said it was confident of having its way in the state.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya welcomed the apex court's order on Friday. “The Supreme Court has stayed the Uttarakhand High Court's order. We welcome it, but the stay is temporary as the next hearing is on April 27,” Vijayvargiya said.

Laying to rest the Congress' concern that with the President's Rule back in place, the Centre may revoke it and the BJP may stake a claim to form the government, the apex court has asked the Centre to maintain the status quo till the next hearing on April 27. However, Vijayvargiya dismissed such concerns.

“We are not in a hurry to form the government in Uttarakhand. It is Harish Rawat who seemed to be in a hurry to become the chief minister that he did not even wait for a day,” he said.

“The judicial process may take its own time. But the matter should be heard by a larger constitutional bench of the Supreme Court as the Uttarakhand High Court's decision was not satisfactory to all,” the BJP leader said. Besides, the second issue

of disqualification of nine rebel legislators of Congress led by Vijay Bahuguna, is lined up for hearing in Uttarakahnd High Court on Saturday.

The High Court had in an earlier hearing on April 12 refused to grant any temporary relief to the disqualified legislators.