JOIN US“Khanduri told the BJP Core Committee meeting in Dehradun that Koshiyari, who is at present a member of the Rajya Sabha, should not be made the chief minister. Instead, he suggested the names of Trivendra Singh Rawat and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank for the post,” a senior BJP leader said. Koshiyari, a former chief minister of the state, was present at the half-an-hour meeting which was held after Khanduri offered his resignation to the central leadership on Tuesday.
Interestingly, Nishank and Rawat, who hold the Health and Agriculture portfolios respectively, belong to Koshiyari’s camp. Rawat had raised the banner of revolt a few months ago and demanded that Khanduri be replaced by Koshiyari. Some in the party feel this could be Khanduri’s attempt to sow the seeds of discontent in his rival’s camp.
“There is no change in the political situation in Uttarakhand as the party high command is still to decide about the leadership issue in the state,” said Anil Jain, the deputy incharge of BJP affairs in Uttarakhand.
The BJP is hanging by a razor-thin margin in the state assembly having 34 MLAs in a House with an effective strength of 68.
Koshiyari, an MLA from Kapkot, resigned to enter the RS, while another MLA Munna Singh Chauhan joined the BSP. The BJP leadership is concerned about winning the Kapkot bye-election scheduled for May 28. A loss there would threaten the government. The bye-election to Vikasnagar, the assembly constituency vacated by Chauhan, is likely to be announced soon.