U’khand CM Rawat faces defection

Sources in the Congress said the biggest threat for the state government is from the Satpal Maharaj camp which enjoys the support of a few MLAs.

With BJP’s historical victory in the 2014 LS elections, Chief Minister Harish Rawat faces danger of defection in the Congress Legislature Party in Uttarakhand.

The Congress-led Rawat government survives with thin majority and enjoys the support of three BSP, one UKD and three Independent MLAs. The BJP victory in all five LS seats in the state has hit the morale of the Congress camp.

The Congress has 33 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly while the BJP has 30. The biggest threat for Rawat is the existence of different factions in the state Congress unit.

Perhaps Rawat had an inkling of the troubles in store in view of the UPA’s exit from the Centre as he appointed seven Congress MLAs as parliamentary secretaries with status of Cabinet ministers in the state on Thursday — a day befire counting.

The newly-appointed parliamentary secretaries are Umesh Sharma Kau, Rajkumar, Madan Singh Bishta, Shaila Rani Rawat, Sarita Arya, Vikram Singh Negi and Jeet Ram.

Most of the new parliamentary secretaries are considered to be close to the separate camps of CM Vijay Bahuguna and former Union minister Satpal Maharaj, who quit Congress to join the BJP.

Sources in the Congress said the biggest threat for the state government is from the Satpal Maharaj camp which enjoys the support of a few MLAs.

Story continues below this ad

“The BJP may engineer defection within the Congress Legislature Party with the help of Satpal Maharaj who is also now in the BJP,” a source said.

Rawat is currently looking for a suitable seat to enter the state Assembly in order to continue in his office.

Following his victory from the Hardwar Lok Sabha seat, former CM and BJP leader Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is all set to vacate Doiwala seat which he represents in the Assembly.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram