Cong scrambles to keep loyalists ‘safe’

State chief minister Harish Rawat has been asked to prove his majority on the floor of the house by March 28 by state governor Dr KK Paul.

Congress government in the state plunged into crisis after nine party MLAs led by former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna and cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat expressed lack of confidence in the government and accompanied 26 state BJP MLAs to Gurgaon in Haryana on Saturday night.

Talking to mediapersons on Sunday CM Harish Rawat said, “I am ready to prove majority on the floor of legislative assembly. Unlike BJP, I am not a murderer of democracy, tolerance and secularism. I will quit the post of CM if I fail to prove majority.” 

Meanwhile, on Sunday state speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal issued show cause notices to nine rebel Congress MLAs for violating the party whip issued by parliamentary affairs minister Indira Hridayesh and joining hands with opposition BJP. He asked them why they shouldn’t be disqualified from the membership of the House. They have been informed via e-mail and written notices pasted on main gates of their residence. They have been given one-week time to respond till 26 March.

Former union minister and BJP leader Satpal Maharaj said, “Why was BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi not allowed to attend the Budget session. When former Congress leaders ND Tiwari and Vijay Bahuguna were chosen as Uttarakhand CM by high command, then why had Harish Rawat threatened to pull down their smooth running governments. Was it not a violation of the constitution and murder of democracy?” Joshi is in judicial custody for his alleged role in leading to the amputation of the hind leg of police horse Shaktiman Maharaj, whose wife Amrita Rawat is among nine rebel Congress MLAs, has demanded that a Protem Speaker be appointed by the state governor before the vote of confidence is brought before the house on March 28.