In a bid to save the Uttarakhand Government from the political tsunami expected with the declaration of Parliamentary poll results on May 16, Chief Minister Harish Rawat may replace two of his cabinet ministers — Mantri Prasad Naithani and Amrita Rawat — with MlA Rajendra Bhandari and Sarbat Karim Ansari.
Sources said that incumbent two cabinet ministers are known as close confidants of former Congress leader Satpal Maharaj, who left the Congress and joined the BJP when general election was at its peak, and they may resign to de-stabilise the Harish Rawat-led State Government. Political analysts said that by inducting Rajendra Bhandari, who is upset since formation of the Congress-led State Government because he was not inducted into the cabinet and having capacity to win bypoll after submitting resignation from third elected Vidhan Sabha, into cabinet CM Rawat may give another jolt to Satpal Maharaj and will manage to sail his boat against the artificial tide. Meanwhile, BJP senior leader said that BJP would not try to de-stabilise the State Government because if they do so, then CM Rawat may request the Governor to dissolve the House and call for fresh election. If this happens, CM Rawat will get public sympathy and may create problem for BJP in case of fresh assembly election.
On condition of anonymity, a senior leader said that Rawat government is safe and CM has taken all precautionary measures to face the inimical situation after May 16. In a bid to diffuse the missile of Satpal Maharaj, state government may show exit route to two cabinet ministers Mantri Prasad Naithani, who is leader of Progressive Democratic Front (PDF), and Amrita Pritam, wife of ex-MP Satpal Maharaj. These two ministers may be replaced by BSP MlA Sarbat Karim Ansari and congress MlA Rajendra Bhandari. Meanwhile, CM Rawat is also trying to make balance with ex-CM Vijay Bahuguna faction, who has been running annoyed and saying that during CM Bahuguna regime they (then cabinet minister Harish Rawat) had managed to get place their faction MlAs including Surendra Singh Negi, Dinesh Aggrawal and Pritam Singh into Bahuguna cabinet and made Govind Singh Kunjwal as Speaker of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha and even ensured Rajya Sabha ticket to Mahendra Singh Mahra, who had lost assembly election-2012.
Sources said that Satpal Maharaj may influence Congress MlA to submit his resignation, in which four MlAs, including three Congress MlAs, namely Amrita Rawat, Dr Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri and Rajendra Bhandari and one independent MlA Mantri Prasad Naithani, who is currently a cabinet minister in Harish Rawat Government may resign from Vidhan Sabha.
MlA Rajendra Bhandari, who had resigned Congress and won assembly election in 2007 as an independent candidate and become cabinet minister during BJP regime in between 2007-12 and later he was brought back into Congress by Satpal Maharaj, is annoyed as he was not inducted into cabinet. In this circumstance, Bhandari has capability to win by poll because he is having good hold his assembly constituency.
Dr Maikhuri, who is currently holding the post of Deputy Speaker of Vidhan Sabha, may not dare to go to fresh election. Amrita Rawat, wife of Satpal Maharaj, may submit resignation and join BJP to sail her boat in BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's wave in by poll because she will have to face election if resign from membership.
PDF, which is an alliance of three BSP including Sarbat Karim Ansari, Haridass and Surendra Rakesh; three independent Harish Chandra Durgapal, Mantri Prasad Naithani and Dinesh Dhanai and one UKD (P) MlA Pritam Singh Panwar, is being led by Minister Naithani so he may influence PDF, in which four MlA Mantri Prasad Naithani, Surendra Rakesh, Pritam Singh Panwar and Harish Chandra Durgapal are holding the post of cabinet minister.
Meanwhile, two BSP MlA Surendra Rakesh and Haridass have been suspended by BSP supremo Mayawati. In this circumstances, Congress, which has 34 including one nominated MlA, having full support of two suspended BSP MlAs, who overtly canvass for Congress candidate Renuka Rawat in Haridwar lok Sabha seat during general election-2014. If CM Rawat shows door to two cabinet ministers Amrita Rawat and Mantri Prasad Naithani and induct Rajendra Bhandari and Sarbat Karim Ansari, then he can save his Government from political turmoil. If it happens, then Congress would reach 36 out of 70 member Vidhan Sabha because BJP would not give an opportunity to CM Rawat to dissolve the House and gain public sympathy in fresh assembly election.