Dehradun: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BC Khanduri resigned as the Uttarakhand Chief Minister on Wednesday. He submitted his resignation to the Uttarakhand Governor on Wednesday evening. Uttarakhand is still anybody's game. Even as the BJP is one short of the Congress' tally, it said it will stake claim to form the government.
The ruling BJP, which got 31 seats, one short of the Congress, in Uttarakhand Assembly elections, on Wednesday began efforts to form the government with its senior leaders trying to establish contact with Independent MLAs and the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD).
The BJP is also in touch with UKD (P) MLA (who is actually close to senior Congress leader Satpal Maharaj) but was denied ticket.
Talking on the ruling BJP's prospect of forming another government in the state, senior party leader Rajnath Singh has said all options are still open.
"We are looking at all the possibilities. Nothing can be ruled out," said Singh.
Meanwhile, the Congress has also said that the party will stake claim to form a government in Uttarakhand. Congress leader and Union Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs, Harish Rawat is a strong contender to become the next Chief Minister of Uttarakhand with sources saying that a MLA being made the Chief Minister is not necessary. Sources say the Congress legislature party will meet in Dehradun on Wednesday evening and request party president Sonia Gandhi to declare the chief ministerial candidate.
Sources said that talks were on with the Independent MLAs, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to support the Congress. The Congress with 32 seats has emerged as the single largest party in the state with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming in a close second with 31 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly.
Congress leaders claim that most of the Independent MLAs have an old association with the party and so they would extent their support to the party. The party expects to get the support of one Uttarakhand Kranti Dal MLA and three independents. The Congress could also join hands with three independents and three BSP MLAs to get te support of 38 legislators.
"We have the numbers. We will form the government. Three independents have pledged support. We are talking with others too. Our number will touch 38. We will form the government after Holi," said Uttarakhand Congress chief Yashpal Arya.
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