The Bharatiya Janata Party high command, which was confident that Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar MP and ex-CM Bhagat Singh Koshyari or ex-MP Satpal Maharaj woulsd manage to form a Government with MlAs supporting the two leaders being present in the Congress camp, now seems disappointed with these two leaders which is why they have called Garhwal MP and ex-CM Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri (retd) to Delhi.
As Gen Khanduri was busy in Garhwal parliamentary constituency, he has been called to Delhi to have a discussion with the party high command. It has been told that Congress MlAs supporting Satpal Maharaj have categorically said that they would not join the bandwagon unless and until party high command declare that Maharaj would form the Government in the State.
Sources said that BC Khanduri had categorically conveyed message to the party high command that he would not take up the responsibility unless and until party high command gives him a free hand.
As ex-Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who has been wailing before the people alleging that Garhwalis had toppled him, has been convening roadshow to speak to the masses about the manner in which the BJP had lured nine Congress MlAs by using money and Union Government's power.
Earlier, there has already been verbal altercation between Satpal and Koshyari with Maharaj having alleged that first Koshyari should bring his 'cheli vidhayak' (crony MlAs) then he would bring the MlAs supporting him.
Meanwhile, Harish Rawat, who has been busy in organizing party workers in election mode, has gone to Chamoli district because all three Congress MlAs i.e. Rajendra Bhandari, Jeet Ram and Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri are being considered as close confidantes of Maharaj.
Harish Rawat has the support of 34 MlAs including 27 Congress, six PDF and one Nominated out of 62-member Vidhan Sabha whereas the BJP has 28 including one suspended MlA Bhim lal Arya, who had been seen openly removing shoes of the then CM Harish Rawat and visited Congress State head office. If they manage to make dent in Congress camp then Congress' own strength would reduce and BJP would become single largest party in this scenario. Thereafter, the Governor would not have option other than inviting the BJP to form the Government in the State. The reason may be anything but political situation is getting fluid day by day in the State.
Political analysts said that in this scenario Harish Rawat is wailing before Kumaon people and saying that Garhwali people have toppled his Government because seven out of nine turncoat Congress MlAs belong to Garhwal.
Two out of nine MlAs - Shailendra Mohan Singhal and ex-CM Vijay Bahuguna - represent Jaspur and Sitarganj constituencies, respectively, in Udham Singh Nagar district. In this scenario, the BJP initially considering to replace Harish Rawat, who is a Kumaoni Kshatriya, with Koshyari which is why he had got active and bureaucrats had started paying protocol like Chief Minister but he could not make dent in Congress camp so party high command put Maharaj as front-runner but seeing his wilting face and internal conflict over his name, party high command has now called Gen Khanduri. As it is known, Gen Khanduri had given a tough fight to the Congress during the Assembly election-2012 but could not secure his seat so Congress was called to form the Government in the State. Recently the party had conducted its internal survey in which Khanduri was positioned ahead of all CM candidates of BJP.