Dehradun: Uttarakhand has witnessed Political turmoil months after Trivendra Singh Rawat was replaced by Tirath Singh Rawat as the CM. Puttling all speculations to the rest Tirath singh Rawat tendered his resignation on Friday late night
Earlier, it was reported that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat submitted a letter to BJP president JP Nadda. The letter mentions that the state is reeling under a constitutional crisis. Thus he cannot stay on the post of Chief Minister at present.
In a way, JP Nadda has also announced his resignation through this letter. The latest update is that the new Chief Minister will be elected from among the MLAs. CM Tirath has also sought time to meet the Governor on Saturday.
He submited the resignation to the Governor. Although Tirath Singh Rawat has also written a letter to the Election Commission requesting a by-election, the possibility of a Bypoll is bleak thus he has opted to step down. MLAs have started gathering in Dehradun for the election of the new Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat was in Delhi for three days due to the political crisis in Uttarakhand. Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat told the media that he had a meeting with National President JP Nadda regarding development works which will be increased rapidly in Uttarakhand. When quizzed about political turmoil, he did not say anything about the opposition. He stated that everything from the centre will be followed.
Trapped Tirath
At the same time, he said that the issue of by-elections is to be looked into by the Election Commission. Meanwhile, CM Tirath Singh Rawat had left for Dehradun from Delhi.
Gangotri and Haldwani assembly seats in Uttarakhand are lying vacant due to the death of sitting MLAs. The term of the current assembly will end in March 2022. This means that only 9 months are left for the completion of the term of this assembly. Lok Sabha member Tirath Singh Rawat took oath as CM on March 10. In such a situation, it is necessary for him to become an MLA within six months of an oath ceremony. It looks highly unlikely for Tirath Singh Rawat to retain the Chief Ministerial powers after 9th September.
Now, under Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, a by-election cannot be scheduled where there is only one year left for the general election. On the other hand, Tirath Singh Rawat needs to contest and win the assembly by-elections to remain the Chief Minister.
Life has come full circle for Tirath
Now that Tirath has stepped down from the CM Post, life has come full circle for Rawat and UK BJP. The then session of the Legislative Assembly held at Gairsain was suddenly adjourned indefinitely. All the MLAs including the then CM were summoned to Dehradun.
On March 6, BJP's central observer, senior BJP leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh had a visit to Dehradun. He had taken the feedback after the BJP core committee meeting.
Taking stock of the situation and upcoming elections in Uttarakhand, the decision to change the Chief Minister was taken by the central leaders. Later, on Tuesday 9 March, Trivendra Singh Rawat resigned from the post of Chief Minister. At the same time, Tirath Singh Rawat was elected as the new leader in the BJP's Legislature Party meeting on March 10. Subsequently, he went to the governor and staked claim to form the government. He took oath as the Chief Minister in a simple ceremony at 4 pm on March 10.
In a Deja Vu, this time also the Chief Minister reached Dehradun on Tuesday evening by participating in the three-day contemplation camp of BJP organized in Ramnagar. He left for Delhi on Wednesday morning. It was only late in the night that information was received about his meeting with the national president. Along with this, many discussions and speculations gained momentum rapidly. This decision was also taken in a hush-hush. Many of his programs on Wednesday were held in Uttarakhand which he left in the end.
It was reported that the party high command summoned him to Delhi. Meanwhile, Tirath Singh Rawat met National President JP Nadda on the same night. He also met Home Minister Amit Shah. After this, today he penned a letter to the Election Commission regarding the by-elections in Uttarakhand. However, the Election Commission has already refused to hold by-elections during the COVID pandemic.
Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, who has been busy in meetings with the high command in the national capital for the last three days, met BJP National President JP Nadda on Friday. This meeting lasted for 40 minutes. After the meeting, the CM reached Kaveri Apartment. He later said that he met Nadda regarding the development. Now the question arises that in the month of June itself, he visited Delhi thrice. Was there no dialogue of development earlier, due to which another meet with Nadda war required that too after rejecting scheduled program in Uttarakhand?
Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj also camped in Delhi. Like every time during the Delhi tour, neither his photo nor any press note was released. Nor did they meet the media. In such a situation, the discussions of change of leadership in Uttarakhand were also in full swing. Tirath had to reach Dehradun on Thursday, but the central leadership asked him to stay.
Huge Anit incumbency in Uttarakhand
Now it is being reported that the central leadership is discontent with CM Tirath Singh Rawat due to the mismanagement in the second wave of Corona and his whacky statements made the situation worse.
The credibility of the state government was under scanner after the corona testing scam came to the fore in Kumbh.(WD)
