Reacting on State Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh’s comment that she would be most appropriate candidate for the post of Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Vijay Bahuguna said that it is very unfortunate that the State has only one post for Chief Minister and which is currently not vacant.
The senior most Cabinet Minister of Vijay Bahuguna Government, Indira Hridayesh on Friday had created a flutter by suggesting her name for the post of Chief Minister in case of a change of guard in State.
She had also claimed that she is going to Delhi to brief the party high command about this. To ascertain her claim, she said that she has been a member of legislative Council and legislative Assembly since 1974.
Sources in Bahuguna Government said that with Indira Hridayesh’s statement it has cleared now that Bahuguna is facing severe threat and picture will clear by January 17.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Water Resources and Haridwar, MP Harish Rawat has maintained silence on it. Even Rawat’s supporting MlAs are camping in Delhi. Besides, it’s three Cabinet Ministers, Indira Hridayesh, Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat and Food and Civil Supply Minister Pritam Singh have been camping
in Delhi.
Uttarakhand Congress in-charge Ambika Soni had categorically said that few disgruntled MlAs met her and expressed question mark over Bahuguna style of functioning. Soni added that she is unaware about any change of guard in the State. By saying this, she tried to pacify both factions including Chief Minister Bahuguna and Harish Rawat.
The Pioneer had reported on January 10, that Chief Minister Bahuguna faction got active to garner support of Congress legislatures even they have motivated People Democratic Front (PDF), which is an alliance of seven MlAs including three BSP, three Independent and one UKD, to speak overtly in support of Bahuguna. Even they did so.
In another step, they also launched signature campaign to express solidarity with Bahuguna. Sources said that in signature campaign merely six MlAs have signed in favour of incumbent CM. Ironically, Bahuguna had tried to give tough fight to Harish Rawat and had sent their supporting MlAs to Delhi to express their views before party high command in 2013. In which 11 MlAs had been to Delhi.