In a bid to counter Satpal Maharaj, who deserted the Congress and joined the BJP, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat may oust Maharaj’s wife and Cabinet Minister Amrita Rawat from Cabinet shortly.
Sources said that in place of her, Rawat may appoint a close confidant of Satpal Maharaj’s as Cabinet Minister. With this step, the CM wanted to give a message to party workers that opportunists will not be tolerated anymore.
Talking to The Pioneer, Rawat categorically said that there was no instability in the Congress-led Uttarakhand Government. Meanwhile, the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF), which is an alliance of seven MlAs other than Congress and BJP, have categorically said that Congress-led Uttarakhand Government should settle ongoing political instability in the State.
The Congress-led State Government has been surviving on the support of PDF only. As the Congress have 33 members in the Vidhan Sabha. If one MlA deserts party he will lose his candidature as per anti-defection law. It means either Rawat or ex-CM Bahuguna needs support of 22 MlAs to form new party. In this perspective one thing is clear that no MlA would dare to desert party because no one wants to relinquish status of Vidhan Sabha membership till February 2017 or mid- term poll.
Even if anyone dares then there is lesser guarantee that same person will be fielded for Assembly bypoll. To defuse the crisis, Rawat convened a separate meeting with Maharaj’s supporting Congress five MlAs namely, Deputy Speaker Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri, Rajendra Bhandari, Shailarani Rawat, Sunderlal Manderwal and Ganesh Godiyal. There is a possibility that one of five MlAs may be inducted into Cabinet in place of cabinet Minister Amrita Rawat.
PDF leader Mantri Prasad Naithani, who is close to Maharaj, has categorically said that if Amrita Rawat wasremoved from Rawat Cabinet, then PDF may review their decision. To counter this, PDF members, especially two BSP MlAs, who were suspended by the party on the charges of anti-party activity are being approached personally by the State Chief Minister.
The PDF has three independent MlAs — Mantri Prasad Naithani, Harish Chandra Durgapal and Dinesh Dhanai. In which two including Naithani and Durgapal, who is known as close to cabinet minister Indira Hridayesh, are Cabinet Minister in Rawat Cabinet. MlA Dhanai, who quite often expresses his grudge against the Congress Government and the PDF, may go against the PDF if he gets Cabinet birth. He has openly condemned the PDF because they did not support him for getting inducted into Cabinet.
In this scenario, each members of PDF is being assessed by the State Government. Source said the BJP lacks Thakur women leader in the State; so if Amrita Rawat joins the BJP then they would fill the gap as well. Sensing easily acceptance of Amrita Rawat in the BJP, Minister Hridayesh has joined the bandwagon and overtly opposed the decision to remove Amrita Rawat from Cabinet.