The Congress has issued a show-cause notice to Forest Development Corporation Chairman and party’s MlA from Khanpur Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion seeking an explanation over his public outburst against Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and his Ministerial colleague.
The move came after alliance party MlAs protested against the Champion’s conduct in connection with the outburst. The show-cause notice is seen as move to pacify the resentment of the alliance parties’ MlAs who have threatened to withdraw support from the Congress-led Government if it fails to take action against him. The show-cause notice was served on Tuesday to MlA Champion asking him to explain his conduct within 72 hours or face disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, Congress MlA Subotdh Uniyal visited on Thursday Champion's house. This raised question mark whether he visit Champion as a messenger of the Chief Minister or giving moral support to the beleaguered MlA. Meanwhile, Progressive Democratic Front, a group formed by non-Congress ruling MlAs, met the Chief Minister and categorically asked to take stringent action against Champion.
MlA Champion had made several allegations against the Transport Minister Surendra Rakesh and used "indecent language" against the Chief Minister Bahuguna as well. Reacting to the Champion's outburst, the Chief had told the newspersons that party would take appropriate action against the MlA. Sensing trouble, Champion had made several attempts to present his case before the Chief Minister but could not succeed. MlA Champion's wife Devyani met the Chief Minister on Wednesday and put her husband's stand before him.
Meanwhile, Champion has also made effort to garner support from Congress legislators. Narendranagar MlA Subodh Uniyal, who is very close to the Chief Minister, visited Champion's house. To avoid media glare MlA Uniyal refused to entertain media query about his presence at Champion's house. Initially, he denied that he was present inside the Champion's house. When he realised that media had surrounded the house, he asked his driver to bring vehicle inside and tried to escape from media glare but failed. However, he refused to make any comment on it.
Now political analyst said that MlA Champion always stay in media and love to flex their muscle before media. For the past 18 months, several Congress MlAs have made allegations against the Chief Minister but this time the allegation was made against the Cabinet Minister, which has been given Cabinet birth on alliance quota.
If they withdrew support, Congress-led Government would become minority so the party has taken it seriously. Meanwhile, political analyst sees Champion's silence on the issue for the last two days so as part of strategy to end the deadlock. However, time will tell how the Government will tackle the situation.