New Delhi: Questions are being raised within the BJP’s own unit in Uttarakhand on the move to invite rebels when the Assembly elections in the state are scheduled early next year.
Some BJP leaders termed it a desperate attempt by the party leadership to form government in a state where it faces a leadership crisis and is battling factionalism.
In a letter to the chief minister, governor K.K. Paul has asked him to prove his majority in the state Assembly by March 28. It was dispatched to the CM shortly before his appointment with the governor Saturday evening. The governor’s directive is being seen as a breather for Mr Rawat.
While the BJP claims that the Congress government is in a minority, the Chief Minister maintains that he still enjoys a majority in the House as none of the “so-called rebel MLAs” have quit the party or the Congress Legislature Party.
He also said that five of the rebels were in touch with him. The Congress has 36 MLAs, including the rebels, in the 70-member Assembly. The ruling party also has the support of six members of the Progressive Democratic Front. The BJP has 28 MLAs.
Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal also said that the “anti-defection law is in place and whoever is found guilty of violating it will have to be acted against”.
“All Congress MLAs voted with the government when the previous bill was passed in the Assembly and nobody had challenged the bill. Even the BJP accepts the voice vote,” he said.
Asked about the BJP’s no-confidence notice against him, Mr Kunjwal said, “"We will see when it comes in the Assembly. Members of the Legislative Assembly will discuss and decide if the no-confidence notice is valid or not.”
