Uttarakhand crisis: BJP urges President to dissolve assembly

Asserting that Chief Minister Harish Rawat-led Uttarakhand Government has slipped into minority has lost its right to be in power, Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, who was part of the delegation that met President Pranab Mukherjee, said on Monday they have asked the President to dissolve the state assembly.

"We have apprised President of the situation in Uttarakhand. We had requested the Speaker for a voting for appropriation bill (Viniyog Vidheyak), but he passed it with voice vote even as MLAs were shouting from the floor. We have also asked the Governor to look into the video of the House proceedings. We have also asked the President to see the video," Vijayvargiya told reporters here.

Stating that the Congress-led Government in Uttarakhand was in minority, Vijayvargiya lashed out at the Uttarakhand Chief Minister for conducting cabinet meetings.

"Harish Rawat's government is conducting cabinet meetings despite being in minority. We have asked the President to order Governor to dissolve the Gvoernment and then give us time to prove majority," he said.

"We also have a video of parading 35 MLAs before the Governor. So, 35 legislators were opposed to that bill and one of our MLAs is in prison, so we have support of 36 MLAs. So, the current government is in minority," he added.

Meanwhile, the Congress has cracked the whip following the rebellion by its nine MLAs in Uttarakhand and expelled Vijay Bahuguna's son Saket and state organisation secretary Anil Gupta for six years on charges of anti-party activities.

Rebel Congress MLA Harak Singh Rawat earlier wrote to Uttarakhand Governor K.K. Paul, urging him to call an Assembly Session tomorrow for the floor test.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who was set to arrive in the national capital today to discuss the political crisis in the state with the Congress leadership, has been asked by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to stay put and handle the situation there. (ANI)