LUCKNOW, SEPT 9: The meeting of BJP MLAs, MLCs and MPs from the Uttaranchal region called by Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta here today failed to evolve consensus on the candidate for the Chief Minister's post and the site for the capital for the proposed hill state likely to come into existence on November 1 owing to sharp differences.They could not decide even the modalities for the division of assets andliabilities of Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal. No decision could be takenon the new cadre of IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service officers to beallotted to Uttaranchal. But the legislators were successful in eliciting apromise from the Chief Minister that no assets or institutions in theUttaranchal region would either be shifted or sold.Speaking to The Indian Express, Gupta said a committee would soon be announced which would decide the modalities for the division of assets and liabilities.Members would be from both the states, he said.The legislators created noisy scenes over the UP government's decision tosell a few hydro-electric projects in the hills including the 360MW Vishnuprayag and 330mw Srinagar projects on the Alaknanda river tothe private sector. The MLAs had raised the issue in the state Assembly. TheMLAs had also written to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee raisingtheir objection to the sale of the projects on the eve of the creation ofUttaranchal.The discussion on the probable Chief Minister came to a halt after theChief Minister said that the issue would be decided by the party's highcommand. But the legislators felt that the Chief Minister should be from the MLAs or MLCs and should not be imposed.There were differences on the capital site. Some suggested Nainital, someDehra Dun, some Hardwar and the others Gairsurh, Gupta said. Later, it was agreed the Uttaranchal Government.Minister for Culture DepartmentRamesh Pokhrial told the Indian Express that the interim capital of the newstate would be either in Nainital or Dehra Dun because already there weremini-secretariats and other buildings there.Some MLAs had suggested thatfrom April to September Nainital and from October to March Dehra Dun shouldbe the capital of the hill state,he said.Pokhrial said the legislators of the Uttaranchal region were against thetransfer of an army of IAS, IPS and IFS officers. At present, there were 46IAS, 36 IPS and about 90 IFS officers posted in the region, he said addingnot more than 84 IAS, 66 IPS and 100 IFS officers were needed for theadministration. MLA Ajay Bhat said no Central service officer should betransferred to Uttaranchal against his or her wish. All legislators felt this, he added.The legislators suggested that the assets and liabilities should be dividedon the basis of geographical area and not population.
