
After clinching the majority with the help of two Independents and three-member Uttarakhand Kranti Dal UKD, the next challenge for Uttarakhand Chief Minister-designate Maj. Gen BC Khanduri retd is to form his ministry.
Already, party bigwigs are at the job to not only help Khanduri in the task but also to placate state BJP chief and former chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari who lost the race to chief ministership. To seek his opinion on ministry formation, Koshiyari has been requested by the party high command to come to Delhi today. Khanduri is already in the national capital.
The two Independent legislators have reportedly been promised ministerial berths. The UKD too will like to have their share in the ministry with at least two portfolios.
Since the ministerial strength cannot cross 12, the chief minister-designate faces a tough task ahead to meet the demands of his own party members and balance his ministry along regional, caste and community lines.
Besides Koshiyari, there are a number of senior BJP leaders who were ministers in the interim BJP government like Matbar Singh Kandari, Ramesh Nishank, Banshi Dhar Bhagat, Harbans Kapoor and Kedar Singh Fonia. Parkash Pant is former speaker of the House.
Then there have to be representations from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, minorities and Hardwar district.
Meanwhile, the BJP wants the swearing-in ceremony of Khanduri on March 8 to be a mega show of strength. According to sources, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has already confirmed his participation in the ceremony with party president Rajnath Singh and LK Advani also expected to join.