State BJP is now stepping up pressure on the Congress and Harish Rawat, in particular, in the aftermath of the Supreme Court staying the High Court’s division bench order on Friday. State BJP chief Ajay Bhatt has written to the Governor on Friday, expressing his outrage over Harish Rawat taking decisions and signing files as the Chief Minister, sans any order to do so.
Bhatt said he had mentioned in the letter that Rawat had convened two Cabinet meetings in less than 12 hours between April 21 and April 22. Bhatt also sought appointment from the Governor for April 23 so that he would apprise him of the goings-on in details and discuss the matter threadbare.
“We are aghast over the fact that Rawat has started running amok even before the High Court division bench has signed its order. Whatever information about the order we have received regarding the order is through the media,” he said.
He said he had asked the Governor through the letter whether he had received the copy of the order himself. “I tell him that in case he has received the order he should have issued a notification enabling Harish Rawat to assume office as Chief Minister. I also request him to provide us with a copy of the order if he has one. In case the Governor has not received a copy of the order and has not issued an order reinstating Rawat as CM things must be cleared on what basis Rawat is acting as the CM,” Bhatt said.
Reacting to the Supreme Court staying the High Court’s division bench order, Bhatt said that they were welcoming the Apex Court’s order. “This is because the High Court order has triggered a great amount of confusion,” he said.
lashing out at Harish Rawat, the State BJP head said that he had proved the depth of his hunger for power by grabbing the chair of the Chief Minister once the order was out, without even waiting to read the order. “This is a sad story of a leader stooping to ludicrous depths to enjoy power,” he said.
“What the norms warrant is that they should exercise restraint, knowing that BJP was set to move the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order. Had they exercised restraint they would not have cut a sorry figure as they have done on Friday,” Bhatt said.
Bhatt further said that they had full faith in the Supreme Court, adding that they hope it would uphold the Presidential Proclamation issued on March 27, dismissing the Harish Rawat government on constitutional grounds.