Talks about Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna being replaced started making the rounds yet again on Monday with some Cabinet ministers camping in New Delhi. However, the Pradesh Congress Committee chief and Cabinet Minister Yashpal Arya said that he was unaware about any impending change of the CM.
Meanwhile, the BJP State chief Tirath Singh Rawat said that the condition of the public and level of development would remain unchanged irrespective of whoever becomes the Chief Minister.
Ever since Vijay Bahuguna assumed the office of Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, talks about change have been making the rounds in political circles. On Monday again, such talks surfaced again especially as Cabinet Ministers Indira Hridayesh, Harak Singh Rawat and Pritam Singh were reported to be in New Delhi, holding talks with senior party leaders. However, Rawat said that there was nothing special in the meetings held in Delhi, adding that they were visiting Delhi as the party’s HQ was situated there.
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna himself had recently said that the talk of the CM being changed was basically speculation fuelled by media reports. On Monday, he said that such speculations were part of politics. The Pradesh Congress Committee chief and Cabinet Minister Yashpal Arya said that he was unaware of any decision being considered for replacing the present Chief Minister. He simply said that this issue is for the party high command to decide and that the party leaders in Uttarakhand would accept any decision taken by the party high command.
However, the BJP was quick to comment on the scenario of uncertainty in the State regarding the chief ministership. BJP State chief Tirath Singh Rawat said that all Congress leaders are the same and struggling to gain power. "They are all the same, struggling for power so who is made the Chief Minister will make little difference to the level of developmental works and condition of the people because the focus of the Congress leaders is on power," he said.
Observers said that the recurring talks about change of the Chief Minister have been affecting administration work in the State. The ministers are more focused on the power play and are giving less attention to the various problems being faced in the State, political observers said.