BJP awaits court order ‘to form’ govt in U’khand

THE STATE SLIPPED INTO A CRISIS LAST MONTH AS THE HARISH RAWAT GOVT WAS DISMISSED AFTER IT FAILED TO PASS THE ANNUAL BUDGET IN THE ASSEMBLY

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will try to form a government in Uttarakhand and not wait for fresh polls if the high court upholds the President’s rule imposed in the state on March 27.

The hill state slipped into a crisis last month as the Harish Rawat government was controversially dismissed after it failed to pass the annual budget in the assembly. Nine Congress MLAs, led by former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, had voted against the bill.

Uttarakhand is slated for polls early next year, along with Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

“We have the numbers required to form the government. We are waiting for the court order to decide the next course of action,” a senior BJP functionary said.

Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari is the front runner for the chief minister’s post in case the BJP decides to form the government.

Koshyari comes from Kumaon region of Uttarakhand — Rawat’s stronghold — and served as chief minister between October 2001 and March 2002.

Former Congress leader Satpal Maharaj, who crossed over to the BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election, is another contender for the post. He is also a spiritual leader.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya had a meeting with Koshyari and Maharaj here to discuss the future course of action in case the high court asks for floor test.

Party spokesman Anil Baluni added, “The BJP will do whatever is in the interest of the state. We created the state in 2000 and have always thought of its welfare. The President rule was necessary after the March 18 constitutional crisis that left the state in a situation wherein it could not even pay salaries to its employees.”

Besides the nine rebel Congress MLAs, the BJP is claiming the support of around six more. They are from the Congress and the Progressive Democratic Front, which comprise Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, the Bahujan Samaj Party and Independents.

In the 71-member assembly, the Congress had 36 MLAs, BJP 28, BSP two and UKD one, besides three Independents and one nominated member. The assembly Speaker has disqualified the nine rebel MLAs, which brings down the effective strength of the assembly to 61 and majority mark to 32. The rebel MLAs have challenged their disqualifications and any relief would be another shot in the arm for the BJP.